


The Laws of Attraction

by dreiser



Category: L Word
Genre: Angst, F/F, Femslash, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-02-24 10:49:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 238,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2578844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreiser/pseuds/dreiser
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The infamous four a.m. kiss sets off a motion of events and emotions between Alice and Dana that cannot be denied, much like certain scientific laws.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

One very late night in college, during a bout of drunken philosophizing that came from finding out Tayo cheated on her for quite possibly the hundredth time, Alice created her formidable and so far, consistently accurate laws of attraction. They were the following...

1\. Feelings of love can't be denied.   
2\. Attraction, once recognized, can't be ignored.  
3\. Trying to lie about your emotions only makes things worse.

Several years later, Alice held to these rules because they had proven true no matter how much life changed around her. She never shared the rules with anyone due to the fact that, more than anything, she hated having to prove herself and her beliefs in life to other people. To say otherwise would be a massive understatement. All her life, Alice had been made to feel never good enough. Something that hadn't been eased by having a mother who always seemed too busy for Alice in the varied and endless ways that mattered to a child. Things like asking about how her day went, encouraging her interests, and knowing who she was as a person. 

These things and so much more were part of the reason Alice fell in love with Dana. Though, strangely enough, she wasn't sure when exactly those feelings began. Not Dana knowing her so well, she was aware of that, but the actual falling in love with her best friend part. Somehow it had snuck up on Alice when she wasn't aware, much like a stealthy predator. Or since this was Dana she was talking about an awkward yet adorable kitten hell bent on play attacking a creature ten times its size just because they thought it seemed like fun.

Witnessing Dana's whirlwind relationship with Tonya play out had filled Alice with a fierce anger she had yet to experience in her life and at first it scared her. She wasn't the type of person to become bitterly jealous about romantic relationships. No, her style was to act so incredibly derisive and sardonic that no one would notice how envious she actually was.

For as long as Alice could remember she'd been jealous of happy couples and the pleasure they found in each others company. She despised feeling that way but she couldn't stop it simply because what those couples had was what she truly wanted in her life.

Someone to love and someone to love her back.

And not just any someone. She wanted a person who knew her, really and truly knew her. Knew that her flirtatious attitude was just that, an attitude. A very well put upon act she learned from her mother to mask her fears and insecurities from others. She wanted someone who knew why the chart was so important to her and didn't dismiss its potential to link countless gay, bisexual, and questioning women in the great big tangled mess that was the LA romantic scene. She wanted someone who knew why she sang Instant Karma by John Lennon to feel better on a bad day and the reason behind her childhood fear of eating dill pickles.

In other words, she wanted someone like Dana. But now it had gone from wanting someone like Dana to just plain wanting Dana. There was no one else in Alice's mind. That long lost phantom figure of the perfect boy/girlfriend had exited her subconscious and in its place stood Dana. Tall, tan, sweet, silly, geeky, and utterly perfect because of all these things Dana.

Sitting in her bed, sifting her fingers through Tina's hair in an absent gesture of comfort for her friend who had long since cried herself to sleep, Alice decided to just admit it. "I want Dana Fairbanks," she whispered timidly.

Silence. The sky didn't fall. The world wasn't tipped off its axis. The plague of locusts had not descended. There was only the sound of silent acceptance and Tina's soft exhale of breath. This gave Alice a boost of confidence and she decided to elaborate on her previous statement.

"I love Dana Fairbanks," Alice said with a little more gusto, a hesitant yet happy smile forming on her face. It felt so good to say that... so very good. Surely if she went that extra yard and just said it all, well... how good would that feel? Alice threw caution to the wind and wearing a goofy expression, she declared proudly, "I'm in love with Dana Fairbanks."

"Good for you, Al," mumbled Tina sleepily. "But when the hell did that happen, huh?"

"T!" shrieked Alice, jumping up and causing a drowsy Tina to flop off her lap and onto the bed with a groan. "Oh jeez, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to do that. You scared me, that's all. I thought you were still asleep."

"I gathered that from hearing the whole 'I love Dana Fairbanks', 'I'm in love with Dana Fairbanks', impromptu speech," Tina murmured, shifting her head on a pillow and opening one sleepy eye to peer at Alice contemplatively. "Now are you going to tell me when exactly this happened or will I be forced to tickle a confession out of you?"

"Are you sure?" asked Alice with a frown, observing her friend carefully. The last thing she wanted to do was babble on about the confusing state of her love life if Tina didn't really want her to do so. God knows that Tina had been through enough without being forced to listen to unwelcome tales of romantic angst and/or confusion. "I mean, I'm okay. I don't need to talk but if you want to talk then I can talk. Of course, I can talk about anything you know. Like last week I swear I found a potato chip that looks exactly like my Aunt Brenda. It was so disturbing..."

"Al," Tina interrupted wryly, a slow and genuinely sweet smile forming on her face as she did so. "I want to hear you talk. But not about the Aunt Brenda potato chip. I'm more interested in the whole loving Dana Fairbanks revelation. Do I need to threaten tickling again or are you finally going to answer my question?"

"That's the crazy thing about this though," murmured Alice, slumping backwards onto the bed and lying next to Tina as she stared up at the ceiling. "I honestly don't know when or how this happened. All I know is that it's the truth." Looking at Tina with a shy gaze that was undeniably compelling in the emotions it held, Alice said softly, "I'm in love with her."

Studying Alice for a long moment, Tina murmured in quiet amazement, "You really are, aren't you?"

"Yeah," replied Alice, an unbidden smile tugging on her lips at just the thought of Dana. It felt incredibly good to share these feelings with someone else without the fear of rejection that naturally came with them. "I am. Though," Alice heaved a loud sigh, "I have no idea when this loving Dana thing started." Frowning thoughtfully, she went on, "I guess maybe it's been building up for a long time now and somehow I never noticed."

"I can see that," said Tina, moving around so she and Alice could be face to face while remaining snugly ensconced underneath the blankets. "I think that love tends to do one of two things. The first is that it hits you hard and fast. Something that's been well chronicled as love at first sight in books, television, and countless bad movies. The second is that it sneaks up on you slow and silent, never letting you know about its approach. Then bam!" Tina clapped her hands loudly together for a sound effect. "It hits you out of nowhere and you're down for the count."

"Love is Mike Tyson and I'm Evander Holyfield's ear, in other words?" Alice teased gently, lifting an eyebrow in speculation and chuckling on seeing Tina blush in embarrassment.

"Something like that," said Tina in dry tones as she gave Alice a poke to her side. Hazel eyes darkened and Tina's voice dropped into a shaky octave. "I had the opposite with Bette. I fell hard and fast... she took me completely by surprise. I never saw it coming." There was a pause then Tina said in a bare whisper, "I didn't see the affair with Candace coming either." Dragging teary eyes up to lock helplessly with Alice's understanding gaze, she asked hoarsely, "Why did Bette do it, Al? Wasn't I enough for her? I tried to be... I honestly did."

"Oh honey, come here," murmured Alice, pulling Tina into her arms and cradling her close. Squeezing her eyes shut at the feel of Tina tucking her head underneath her chin, Alice tried to restrain the rage she felt towards Bette at that instant because it wouldn't help Tina, not one bit. Combing her fingers through Tina's hair, she finally said, "I don't know why she did it and I doubt any of us ever will. Part of me thinks that maybe even Bette doesn't know why. As for you being good enough for her, well," Alice snorted derisively, "I think it's pretty evident you're TOO good for her."

After a significant pause Tina asked hesitantly, "You think so?"

A fond smile forming, Alice kissed Tina's messy blonde locks and replied, "I do. Now don't you doubt me, because you know it's the truth since, come on! I am extraordinarily bad at lying."

"Yes, you are," Tina laughed at this, unable to help it as she recalled the few times Alice had attempted to lie and failed on a pathetically large scale. But that was just one of many reasons to love Alice so very dearly, Tina realized.

Alice was simply Alice. She didn't have the capacity to hide who she was or even what she felt. It wasn't in her nature and she couldn't be deceptive, not by the smallest of degrees. What you saw with Alice was definitely what you got and in the light of Bette's betrayal, Tina appreciated that more than words could possibly say. And somehow, she found herself jealous of Dana because she just knew that Alice would never make the mistakes that Bette had made. Hell, that she had made.

Listening to her friend regale one of her more embarrassing efforts in the realm of fibbing, her voice joyful and light, fingers soothing as they stroked her hair, Tina sighed. No, Alice would never make their mistakes. She would treat Dana as good as if not better than anyone ever could. That was who she was and it was why they all loved her.

"Hey, Al?" asked Tina quietly, interrupting the story just as Alice got to the part where she claimed to have been raised by circus folk. "You never did tell me. Does Dana know how you feel?"

"She knows," replied Alice sardonically, her tone reflecting a good deal of disdain with herself. "Yes believe me, she definitely knows."

"Al," Tina now drew her name out in a slow and rather worried pronunciation, moving to lock eyes with her friend. "What did you do?"

Releasing a loud and nervous whoosh of air, Alice stared up at the ceiling then said with notable irritation, "I kissed her, okay. I went to her place at four in the fucking morning and I kissed her. Well, first I told her she couldn't marry Tonya and when Dana asked me why in that confused, hurt, and sweet way that she gets I told her because. So, naturally, she asks why again. Being a genius at conversation, I say because for the second time. And right when I'm pretty sure she was about to start bitching at me for being a confusing and nondescript pain in the butt, I kissed her." 

There was silence as Tina took time to absorb all of this. Then she asked in an altogether mischievous tone of voice, "Did she kiss you back?"

"My god, I can't believe you asked that," declared Alice, laughing with surprise and delight. Clucking her tongue, she put on a horrible faux Southern Belle accent and said, "Why Miss Tina Kennard, I do declare that you are becoming as saucy as I!" 

"She kissed you back then," said Tina, looking smug and entirely satisfied about her accurate power of prediction. "I thought that she would."

"Why?" asked Alice in a small voice.

Frowning on hearing this, Tina scooted away to gently move out of Alice's arms that had been holding her to look at her friend's suddenly shadowed features. When brown eyes looked her way, Tina couldn't hold back the wave of protective emotion she felt on seeing the vulnerability in them.

"Why would you think that? God," Alice released bark of bitter laughter. "Why would anyone think that? She's Dana Fairbanks! Famous tennis player, shiny in her newly outed status, who is high up on many more attractive people's 'wish I could fuck' list. Who am I? Some flaky bisexual feature writer for LA Magazine?" Scoffing at herself, Alice muttered, "I don't even have aspirations for writing the great American novel. I hate fiction writing and I hate so called hardcore journalism. My dream is to write for People! Or maybe The Advocate. Who knows."

"And what's wrong with wanting to write for People? A lot of people like People!" exclaimed Tina in heated defense of both Alice and a magazine that she herself enjoyed. She was quiet for a moment then said wryly, "That sentence just proves I'm not meant to be a writer myself, doesn't it?"

"I'd say so," agreed Alice with a kind yet still amused chuckle. She started to say more but stopped upon feeling Tina's hand cupping her face as if was delicate porcelain. "T?" she asked, perplexed by the gesture. "What's up?"

"You're not a flaky bisexual," Tina said strongly, her tone revealing that she wouldn't brook any argument on Alice's part. "There's so much more to you, Al. If that's all you really were then how can you explain why I automatically went to you for comfort on possibly the worst day of my life?" Seeing that her words were having some meager effect, Tina continued, "You're a compassionate, funny, and sincere woman who, for some unfathomable reason, refuses to see that about herself." Tapping Alice's nose lightly with her index finger, Tina growled humorously as she said, "And if Dana can't see that then she's a fool."

"Thanks, that's very butch of you," Alice kidded with good humor and a smile, her expression kind but revealing quite clearly she didn't believe one word of what Tina had just said.

"I mean it, Al," said Tina solemnly, her hands drifting down Alice's face to hold it as tenderly as ever. Their foreheads rested together and Tina sighed as she squeezed her eyes shut. "I never wanted to tell you this," her voice was wry and admonishing, "but if will help you then I guess I should."

"T?" asked Alice, concerned. "What's going on? You're not making sense to even me and many would consider that a feat of wonder."

"I love Bette," said Tina softly, her voice wavering as she admitted something that she now felt mammothly foolish for. "I wish right now that maybe I didn't but I do. But you," Tina's voice shifted into an undeniably affectionate tone as clear hazel eyes opened to lock with concerned brown. "I've had a crush on you for almost as long as I've loved Bette." Pushing back a stray lock of dyed blonde hair, Tina couldn't help but giggle at the stupefied look on Alice's features. "And I've just broken your brain, haven't I, Al? I'm sorry... maybe I should've kept quiet."

"A crush on me?" echoed Alice in disbelief. "How... when... why?" she sputtered, giving certain validity to Tina's theory that the confession had indeed broken her brain.

"Don't forget the what and where," Tina joked. Still cupping Alice's cheek, she said, "And in regards to the why portion, I can answer that pretty easily. You're such a sweet person, Al. You do so much for other people and you never think about it as anything less than the natural thing to do. I've never met someone who's as good and as loyal a friend as you. Plus you can somehow make the ugliest outfit look strangely cute." Tilting her head to one side, her hazel eyes twinkling, Tina drawled, "Now you tell me, what's not to have a crush on?"

Absorbing all of this, Alice seemed to let go and managed to accept that for some reason Tina believed everything that she had said to be the truth. Releasing a sigh, Alice met their eyes and with raw and naked emotion then said, "I hope Dana feels the same."

"She does," assured Tina fiercely, pulling Alice into her arms as she took over the role as comfort giver. "Trust me, she does."

Something in Tina wouldn't allow herself to think otherwise. Perhaps because in Alice and her honesty about her feelings for Dana, a small part of Tina had regained her confidence in love existing in its truest form. And Alice being with Dana did give certain validity to her continued belief in its power. Plus there was the fact that the joy of seeing two of her closest friends together would help ease the pain that was currently in her life.

The only worry Tina had was over exactly how long it would take the at times fairly dense Dana to realize the wonderful thing she had in the form of Alice and her love.

\---

Ironically enough, other than tennis, Dana's favorite game as a child was hide and seek. Perhaps that explained how she could exist somewhat comfortably for several years of hiding in the closet. Dana didn't consider herself a brave person by any means of the word. Even now, after she had finally come out a large part of her was still scared and hiding.

Not from her sexuality but instead from her feelings. Admitting she was gay was difficult for Dana simply because she had been holding onto it as a secret for so very long. In a strange way, all of the secrets that she kept had become a safety blanket of sorts. They had been in her life for such a long time that Dana didn't know how to exist without them. Which is why when she came out she didn't really come out about everything.

Just the lone fact that she, Dana Fairbanks, was a lesbian.

Certainly she wasn't planning on revealing the fact that since she met Alice Pieszecki she'd been in love with her. No, that secret was one that Dana thought that she might take to the grave. Then Alice had to go and kiss her.

But she was getting off track. This was about her secrets and the idea that letting go of them all at once frightened Dana so much she thought it really might kill her. All her life she was fiercely aware of the roles people were expected to play by their family, friends, and lovers. Her parents expected her to be an obedient daughter, so dedicated to her athletic career she couldn't possibly maintain a long term romance with a man. Her friends expected her to remain a geeky naivete, who didn't have the slightest clue as to what was happening around her. And her lovers? She couldn't remember the last time she had cared enough to think about what they wanted her to be.

Ralph maybe. Ralph... ha. Stephanie was her name. These were only her thoughts. She could use her real name here. Yes, the last time Dana was totally honest and let someone see everything that she was had been with Stephanie. And what had it gotten her? Nothing but pain.

Since that day, Dana hid who she was and had done a damn good job of it too. After all, she had been in love with Alice for years now and not one of their friends had guessed. Not even Alice herself had figured it out and Alice was probably the most observant person Dana had ever met.

That first meeting was still fresh in Dana's mind, as if it happened only yesterday. She just started practicing at the club and they were in that period where all the employees were doing their best to impress her as to ensure she stayed on. Having an up and coming tennis player practicing on their courts gave the club an added prestige they felt and Dana benefited greatly from that belief.

Though she admittedly found the attention a tad embarrassing. She was dealing with said attention, barely fending off the ridiculously detailed questions her waiter posed over the rather simple fruit salad she ordered when Alice appeared before her. And Dana did mean appeared, one minute she'd been trying to get rid of the creepily fake waiter and the next there was a dyed blonde, hair in pigtails, brown eyes twinkling, with a quirky smile playing on her lips standing right in front of her.

"I was wondering if you could help me," Alice began, a smile lighting up her face. She placed her hands on the table and leaned in, leaving their faces only a breath apart, giving Dana an excellent chance to smell her intoxicating perfume. "I'm doing a story about this club for LA Magazine but they don't know that mostly because if they did know I wouldn't be able to give an impartial review as I'm sure they'd spend their time sucking up to me. That being said, I'm not really getting anywhere with the whole ordering of food issue." Releasing a derisive chuckle, Alice looked over her outfit which was basically a mock Catholic schoolgirl uniform and said, "I think it's the clothes." 

At this, Dana studied her clothing more closely, noting that the short pleated skirt was a red and black plaid pattern, the shirt was white and short sleeved, and the black tie around her neck had an anarchy symbol in red print on the center of it. While Dana thought the woman looked a tad strange she was incredibly attractive nonetheless. That said, she did understand why the snobbish club staff weren't giving the blonde in front of her much attention. She didn't look like a member in the slightest sense of the word and they were trained to give their best to the club members, no one else.

That left this woman out in the cold so to speak.

"Probably," Dana found herself agreeing solemnly, only to be mortified seconds later as the blonde laughed at this. "I didn't mean it like in a bad way because you look really good in those clothes but I can see why the club staff might not think so. They're big with the stuffed shirts and--"

"It's okay, I totally get what you're trying to say," the blonde reassured, smiling. Holding out a hand, she said, "I'm Alice Pieszecki and if you wouldn't mind too much I'd love to have lunch with you."

"Of course! My name's Dana Fairbanks and I don't mind at all, what do you want? I can get the creepy waiter back and you can order your food finally," stammered Dana nervously, moving into a stance that wasn't completely standing but wasn't sitting either. All in all, it made for an adorable picture. Especially when you added in the fact that she was waving her hands wildly. "What do you want to eat? I ordered fruit salad but that's me. Most people eat more than I do but you're tiny..."

"I'm tiny?" repeated Alice, a slow smile spreading on her features. Resting her elbows on the table, she held her chin in the palm of her hand as warm brown eyes studied the other woman. "You know, you're not what I expected from a pro tennis player. I thought that paid athletes were born and bred to have buckets of confidence."

Seeing that she had gotten the creepy waiter's attention, Dana sat back in her chair and said absently, "I'm not most tennis players." Then she froze and reran what the blonde had just said. "Wait," Dana frowned, "how did you know that's what I do?"

Instead of replying, Alice nodded to the outfit Dana had on that couldn't be mistaken for anything other than tennis player garb. But that didn't explain how she know Dana played professionally. As if knowing that was going to be the next question posed, Alice smiled playfully and leaned in to say in hushed tones, "I dated one of your ball girls." Dana's eyes went wide at this and Alice sat back in her seat and eyes twinkling mischievously, she drawled, "Her name's Melanie. She's the blonde with all the curves. I believe you two have run into each other a few times while perusing local nightlife."

An immediate sense of panic filled Dana and she darted her eyes around the club, somehow feeling as if they all knew her secret as this woman obviously did. It didn't help matters that the creepy waiter had decided to finally join them and Alice was currently ordering her meal. By the time they were alone again, Dana was going through a mental list of believable denials. A list that disappeared the instant soft fingers grasped her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Looking into concerned brown eyes, she wore the expression of a lamb being led to the slaughter and that's what she truly felt like. Being outed by some reporter had long been Dana's worst nightmare and now it appeared to be coming true. She could barely hold back the tears on imagining her family's reactions.

"Hey," said Alice, her voice soothing and laced with worry. "What's wrong?" When fearful blue eyes finally lifted to lock with her own, Alice realized what was wrong and that she'd been the one to cause the terrified reaction in the woman in front of her. "Oh god, honey, don't worry. I'm not going to say anything. I'm not here for that... I don't write that kind of garbage. I might like to gossip but I certainly don't enjoy transcribing it for pay. That's not my style, if I do have a style to speak of. So please don't worry, there's no way am I putting this into any article."

"You aren't?" asked Dana in a whisper, not believing she could possibly be that lucky. Though she knew they were discussing her sexual orientation she still couldn't say the words. Not until she could confirm Alice was telling the truth. That was the worst part of being closeted, she thought. Having to put everyone she met through this battery of exhausting tests in order to see if they could be trusted with her secret. "Why wouldn't you write about it? Reporters love that kind of story."

"Some do," agreed Alice. She waited until she got the athlete to meet her gaze then echoed Dana's earlier statement with soft humor, "But I'm not most reporters. And besides, what's more interesting? Your sex life or a detailed review of a scrumptious crab souffle?" She paused and moved in close to say with utmost solemnity, "Not to be mean but I think it's gotta be the crab souffle."

Wrinkling her nose up as she laughed, Dana shook her head and all at once she felt better. She wasn't sure why but there was something inside her telling her to trust this woman because if she did she would never regret it. For the first time in a very long while Dana decided to take a chance and a sly smile pulling at her lips, she replied, "I think I'm better than a crab souffle. Ask Melanie."

"Is that so?" asked Alice, surprised at the quiet admittance and feeling a little overwhelmed the tennis player had chosen to trust her. In that moment, Alice vowed she would make sure it was a decision Dana would be proud she made. "I'll have to give her a call and hear that for myself."

"You do that," Dana chuckled, taking a drink of her juice. 

The rest of lunch was successfully absent of drama and when they parted company they had each other's phone numbers but Dana's slip of paper also contained a hastily drawn map of how to get to The Planet. She had this because Alice had managed to get Dana to promise they both would hang out together over coffee. And as if to prove her pessimistic nature when it came to people and their promises being worthless, Dana soon found herself sitting inside of The Planet drinking coffee on a sunny Friday morning. Not realizing the women sitting with her would soon become the closest friends that she ever had. Close enough to be considered family. What she did know was that she was truly happy for the first time in long while and it was all thanks to Alice.

She would always hold that first meeting sacred because it was the first time in a long while that someone was kind to her without having some ulterior motive. But Dana didn't know that at the time and she put in a good deal of effort in the subtle art of testing Alice's friendship. Waiting with veiled cynicism for holes to form and the truth behind Alice's motives for seeking her friendship to leak out. Though it was in vain because any holes that were created came from Dana herself. And it was Alice, not Dana, who always repaired them with caring and detailed attention.

For the longest time there was a gaping void in Dana's life and she felt it came from hiding her sexuality from everyone around her. When she met Alice, she realized that was indeed part of the reason behind the constant ache in her heart but it was just one part. There was something larger causing it that Dana was never aware of until Alice.

And it was the fact that no one really knew her. Not in the realm of sexual orientation but knowing Dana in general. In hiding her sexual identity she also hid her heart and who she was as a person. To successfully perpetuate a lie that large over a span of many years Dana had to shut down a part of herself. The part that let people in, allowed them to see her for who she was.

After so many years of tortured confusion Dana found acceptance in her new friends and to her, nothing could possibly be more wonderful. She couldn't imagine her life without Alice in it and that's what made the kiss so scary. Relationships of the romantic nature fall apart, Dana accepted that as merely another fact in life. But she could never accept the idea of a life without Alice.

Which meant no romance. The reality of that almost killed Dana. Just like it almost killed her to think of the kiss, one that she had wanted for years now and how it was better than she could have ever imagined. The taste of Alice, the sound of her hushed moans, the feel of her warm body pressed close, God... she wanted that again. She wanted it bad enough that her body seemed to shudder and ache from the want Dana felt seizing her but she couldn't have it. Not if she wanted to keep Alice with her always. If they dated things might go well at first, like they did with any couple, but eventually something would happen. Hell, who was she kidding?

Eventually she would do something massively wrong and that would be it. Their romance would end and despite promises to stay friends forever real life would rear its ugly head and take Alice far from Dana. Logically she knew this was an overly pessimistic viewpoint on something she couldn't even properly predict at the moment but that was what Dana honestly thought.

Another part of her thought maybe Alice had kissed her to warn her away from Tonya. Though it looked otherwise, Dana wasn't in love with Tonya. She did like her simply because Tonya made it abundantly clear she thought Dana was special and she was touched by that. For Dana, it was unusual to receive compliments on the scale she got them from Tonya and while she knew not all of them were totally sincere it was wonderful to hear them nonetheless.

There was also the fact that Tonya was safe. One day if they should part and the marriage would end, Dana would be sad, of course, but she wouldn't be crushed. Her life would go on and she would pick up the pieces. Dana knew without a doubt she could survive losing Tonya.

She could never survive losing Alice.

In her mind, that put Tonya above Alice in the category of viable romance despite the fact that Alice was the one that she was in love with. Had always been in love with. To say that Dana's philosophy on dating and romance was odd wasn't a stretch to say the least but in a way it made sense.

Protection was what it boiled down to. Protecting herself from the pain of rejection she had been afraid of since she was a young girl and she first realized she was gay. The pain that she made into this huge monstrous specter that haunted her so much she hid who she was for years and years. The pain that was justified when her parents rejected her so very harshly. The pain that was filling her heart now as she remembered the feel of Alice's soft lips moving against her own...

And decided that it couldn't happen again.

Seconds later, the room was filled with happy chatter and activity as Tonya made her entrance into the kitchen. She watched with veiled eyes as her fiance made the coffee according the preferences she had wheedled out of Dana and came to another decision.

Alice had to be told, the sooner the better. Rising to her feet, kissing Tonya's cheek and murmuring an excuse about training in her ear, Dana made her way to her bedroom. Changing into a pair of workout clothes since she fully planned on training after this was over. She would need the release to somehow survive what she was about to do. Nothing would be more difficult than hurting the woman she loved but it needed to be done. Still, she did hate herself for it.

This was a feeling that Dana, sadly, was altogether well acquainted.

\---

9:41:49 a.m.

9:41:50 a.m.

9:41:51 a.m.

9:41:52 a.m.

9:41:53 a.m.

9:41:54 a.m.

9:41:55 a.m.

9:41:56 a.m.

9:41:57 a.m.

9:41:58 a.m.

9:41:59 a.m.

9:42:00 a.m.

"Finally!" Alice shouted in combination of annoyance and glee, leaping to her feet and running over to the stereo. For some absurd reason that she could no longer recall she had promised herself she wouldn't turn on the stereo to begin her usual form of musical therapy until Tina had been gone for exactly thirty minutes. And now, after what seemed much longer, the thirty minutes had passed. Thus her traditional ritual of singing along to John Lennon in order to feel better could happily begin. Going through the cd tracks in an almost robotic fashion, Alice murmured, "I should do this again, when T's here. I'm guessing that she'd see my whole point in it."

Despite the fact that Tina had insisted she needed to go over to the house in order to get her things Alice felt wary about the entire issue. Mostly because Tina was going alone. Though she understood that Tina needed to confront Bette in order to simply release her anger over what had happened she couldn't help worrying. The momentary pleasure that Tina would get from such an action couldn't possibly equal the pain it would later cause.

But Tina needed to do this and Alice knew it, so she let her go. That didn't stop her from worrying though. Not in the least. Which was why she was beaming widely and backing away from her stereo as it blared the opening notes of John Lennon's Instant Karma. And not for the first time, Alice was thankful that her apartment building had thick cement and utterly soundproof walls. It was great for her impromptu bouts of loud singing and late nights filled with adventurous sex.

Jumping onto her couch to bounce on it as she sang, Alice cleared her throat then started singing along with John, "Instant Karma's gonna get you. Gonna knock you right on the head. You better get yourself together. Pretty soon you're gonna be dead..."

"What in the world you thinking of?" Alice declared loudly, shaking her head and bouncing higher on the couch. One day she knew she'd outright destroy the springs but today wasn't that day and she almost hit her head on the ceiling. "Laughing in the face of love. What on earth you tryin' to do? It's up to you." Alice paused then sang even louder, "Yeah you!"

"Instant Karma's gonna get you. Gonna look you right in the face. Better get yourself together darlin'," she drew this last line out, blowing a kiss as she did so. Grinning widely, Alice bounced and spun in the air, continuing to sing, "Join the human race. How in the world you gonna see? Laughin' at fools like me?" Gesturing to herself and bouncing higher than ever, Alice then lifted her arms over her head. "Who on earth do you think you are? A super star? Well, right you are!"

Fully into her crazy rockin' out punker girl mode, phrase courtesy of Tayo during their two second romance, Alice shook her head wildly. "Well, we all shine on! Like the moon and the stars and the sun! Well, we all shine on! Everyone, come on!"

"Instant Karma's gonna get you. Gonna knock you off your feet." Alice closed her eyes, calming on knowing that her favorite lyrics were coming up and she sang the words with a soft and understated conviction, "Better recognize your brothers. Everyone you meet." Her cheerful bouncing had stopped totally and Alice's voice was as powerful as the message the lyrics hoped to send. "Why in the world are we here? Surely not to live in pain and fear. Why on earth are you there? When you're everywhere? Come and get your share."

Then, like a ray of sun coming through dark storm clouds, Alice's face broke out in a smile and she began bouncing up as high as ever. "Well, we all shine on! Like the moon and the stars and the sun! Yeah, we all shine on!" Nodding and shaking her head happily while pumping her fists, Alice felt herself fill with hope just like she always did when singing this song. "Come on and on and on on on! Yeah, alright, uh huh... well, we all shine on! Like the moon and the stars and the sun! Yeah, we all shine on! On and on and on on and on..."

"Well, we all shine on. Like the moon and the stars and the sun," Alice sang, her voice fading with the song and plopping onto the couch, she sighed heavily and rested her head back. Waiting for her breathing to calm, Alice murmured, "Gotta love Lennon. Thanks for the music, man."

Flopping sideways and sinking boneless onto the couch's plush goodness, Alice felt her body joyfully relax. Then only a few moments later, the loudest knock ever to knock on her door sounded and instantly she sprung into an upright sitting position. Tugging the worn cardigan jacket that was among the precious possessions she had of her late father closer around her body, Alice puttered to the door and looked through the peephole.

There stood Dana Fairbanks. The Dana Fairbanks she wanted. The Dana Fairbanks she loved. The Dana Fairbanks she was in love with. There she stood, not looking like any of those women that Alice had just listed. The person she was currently peeping at didn't have anything in common with her Dana Fairbanks because the face of that woman was determined but not cute with determination or sexy or even irritating it was cold. And the Dana Fairbanks that Alice knew was never cold. That wasn't who she was, not by any small portion of her personality.

Hesitantly, Alice opened the door and needing support, she then leaned on its frame as she locked eyes with the unknown version of Dana that was now in front of her. "Hey," she started off cautiously, unsure of what was about to come.

"Hey," Dana replied just as cautiously, her voice soft and shy. 

With this, Alice felt a huge wave of relief wash over her. This didn't look like her Dana but it sounded like her Dana and that helped put her at ease. Smiling happily, she took Dana's hand in her own and pulled her inside the apartment. Fully ready to deal with the ramifications of last night and, if needed, announce her intention to win the battle for Dana's heart.

Meanwhile, Dana was trying her damndest to maintain the emotional wall she had been forming during the drive there that started to crumble the moment she heard Alice singing along to John Lennon's Instant Karma through the door. She knew what that song meant to Alice and how she only sang it on bad days... really bad days. How the song always made Alice feel better, gave her courage to fight for what she wanted, and made her press on. For Alice to be singing that song meant she truly did feel something for Dana and that's why she took action last night. That alone was enough for Dana to lose her conviction but then she saw Alice was wearing the cardigan that belonged to her father. She knew how much Alice cherished that sweater jacket, far more than any other piece of clothing despite the fact that she called it the Mr. Roger's ensemble from the 1970s, and complained about how it was missing two buttons with the lone button that it did have hanging on by one ugly orange thread. Dana also knew that Alice wore it when she needed to feel comforted in a way that only a father could provide for his daughter.

And then there was Alice herself, her hair disheveled, no doubt from the bouncing Dana was sure she'd been doing during her sing along with John Lennon, her arms wrapped around her body as if to protect herself from potential harm, her feet rocking front to back from nervous energy, and her eyes... those endless brown eyes deep enough that Dana thought she might drown in them, were darting nervously up at her every other second exactly like they had last night.

God, how Dana loved her.

"We need to talk," said Dana quietly, inwardly cursing herself for stating what was more than obvious. Squeezing her eyes shut from the sight of Alice who was endearing herself more and more to Dana with every passing moment, she bit out, "I need to know why you kissed me, Al."

Silence. 

Nothing but long echoing horrible silence and just as Dana began to lose hope for a reply, the softest hands she ever felt were gently holding her face. Opening her eyes without any personal volition, Dana found herself lost in Alice's brown gaze just as she feared happening earlier. An affectionate smile curved on full lips and spread to the blonde's features, lighting her beautifully.

"I kissed you because I love you," murmured Alice, voice full of sincerity but laced with a passion that couldn't be denied. Tears formed and she laughed wryly, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand before reaching up to cup Dana's face again. "I'm in love with you, Dana. That's why I kissed you and that's why you can't marry Tonya."

Another pause as Dana absorbed this but she was distracted by Alice's joyful burst of relieved laughter. Upon seeing Dana's confused frown, Alice whistled and spun her finger around at her head then said, "I know! I know! I seem insane but I didn't think I'd be able to tell you!" Releasing a huge whoosh of air, Alice plopped down on her couch and smiled sweetly up at Dana. "But I have and I guess the hardest part is done. Unless you're going to fight me on this," she said this quietly now, her tone showing a certain trepidation. "You do believe me, don't you, Dane? I'd never lie to you... not about this. Hell," Alice laughed loudly and nervously. "I don't think I've ever lied to you. Well, maybe about you looking nice in a sundress once, twice, thrice, or umpteen times."

"You think I don't look nice in sundresses?" asked Dana, unable to keep the pout of her voice and expression. Alice always gave her the best compliments when she wore one it seemed impossible they were all lies.

"Dane, I think it's pretty obvious that I always think you look nice," Alice drawled and she waggled her eyebrows in a silly yet provocative motion that made Dana giggle before she could stop herself. "But no, I don't think sundresses are your gig. A sexy black evening gown, ohhh," she clucked her tongue and smiled mischievously, leaning back into the couch. "That's so Miss Dana."

"Thanks, Al," said Dana quietly, lost in how good it felt to hear Alice say something like that. Then again, she always felt good with Alice. That was why she loved her, after all.

"I love you, Alice."

Blinking and looking around in a confused motion as if searching for the person who had just voiced her emotions, Dana's eyes finally rested on Alice who smiled wryly at her. "That's all you have to say, Dane. If you feel the same about me as I do about you then please tell me," said Alice in a restrained plea. "And if you don't then, hell, please tell me that too! I need to know either way. Just like I need to know why you'd want to marry someone like Tonya."

"Someone like Tonya?" Dana echoed, the warning evident in her tones as she formed a severe frown. "What is that supposed to mean? I shouldn't want to marry someone who obviously has no problem admitting how much she admires me? Someone who will freely tell anyone that she loves me? Why shouldn't I want to marry someone who's proud to be with me?"

"Because it's not real!" replied Alice in an irritated shout, unable to take anymore of the Tonya compliments festival. "It's all an act, Dane! She's trying to get you to fall for her fast as she possibly can before you wake up and smell the day old instant coffee! She's wormed her way into your life and bed in a matter of hours and now she's hooked you into committing your future to her. That's just twisted and wrong and you know it."

"Someone wanting to marry me is twisted and wrong?" scoffed Dana, folding her arms over her chest. Shaking her head, she laughed and said mockingly, "Yeah you love me, Al. I can really feel all that emotion in your disbelief that Tonya would actually love me."

"Oh god, honey, that's not it," Alice said desperately, rising to her feet and reaching out to Dana only to be pushed away. Letting her arms hang limp at her sides, Alice tried to get Dana to meet her eyes and when she finally did, she then said softly, "I believe she loves you. I also believe she loves you for the wrong reasons. She loves what she's created to be Dana Fairbanks in her own mind and not who you really are. That's what kills me, Dane. I love YOU," Alice forcefully declared, moving to clasp Dana's arms and locking their eyes, her gaze was filled with an ardent resolve. "I love everything about you. The way you spoiled Mr. Piddles, bought him those weird outfits to wear for your annual Christmas cards, how you can't stop sneezing anytime you go inside a store that sells fresh linens, I even love your strange affection for anything that's animated in the realm of TV and movies." Setting her jaw and cupping Dana's face, Alice murmured, "But I don't believe that's who Tonya loves. She loves Dana Fairbanks, professional tennis player. The face of Subaru, recently outed lesbian, and newest addition to the sports celebrity circuit."

They remained frozen like that, Alice holding Dana kind and soft, just as she had done so many times before and Dana letting her. Then she shook her head, moved backwards, averting her eyes while she said brokenly, "Maybe that's true but I still can't be with you."

"Why?" asked Alice just as brokenly.

"What?" replied Dana, darting her eyes to the door and wishing that she was moving through it already. She couldn't take much more of this. It was a million times harder than she ever imagined it being and it was breaking her.

"Why can't you be with me?" demanded Alice, moving to Dana who automatically began side stepping the blonde anxiously. Frowning at this, she then said, "What the hell, Dane?! You can't even stand me being near you now? What's this all about?"

"I can't be with you," repeated Dana, unable to say anything else for fear of giving Alice her true reasoning behind this mindset. "That should be good enough for you." Meeting their eyes, she said desperately, "Can't we forget about this? Go back to how it was before? I need that, Al. I need to know that won't change. That you'll always be there for me."

That was when the light went on in Alice's head and it shone through deep brown eyes as she neared Dana, a knowing tone in her voice as she spoke. "That's why," she said in a type of awed wonder. "That's why you're doing this. You're afraid if we date then we'll break up and I won't be there for you anymore. That I'll leave you like other people have."

In a moment of dismal humor, Dana realized she was witnessing one of the reasons Alice made such a good journalist. Then she realized she had to get out of there before anymore of her secrets were ferreted to the surface by her inquisitive love interest. "I have to leave," she insisted, turning away from the blonde and heading for the door. Only she was stopped by the soft hands she felt touch her gently so many times before hold her arm in an almost aggressive gesture. Though she knew she could easily break away, something stopped Dana. Perhaps the knowledge that it was Alice doing this. "Please let go," Dana was almost begging. "I have to leave."

"I wouldn't do that," Alice's voice shook with the emotion it reflected and Dana felt those soft hands wrap around her waist as Alice pressed her face against her shoulders. "I would never do that to you, Dana. I wouldn't leave you, I couldn't. I need the same thing you do... I need for you to always be there for me." A pleasurable shudder ran through Dana when she felt the press of velvet lips against the back of her neck. "I know you're scared," she confessed in a whisper. "I'm scared too but don't you think that it's worth being scared to have this?"

Trembling as Alice's lips trailed down her neck and under her chin while the blonde moved to face her, Dana said hoarsely, "I don't know. To have what exactly?"

"This," Alice whispered again to then meet their lips for a kiss.

Nothing could be better than that monumental four a.m. kiss in either of their minds but this was a close second. It was tender and fierce, expressing the depths of their passion, it was longing and frantic, showing the torn emotions from the change in their relationship, it was happy and sad, much like they were at that moment. Over and over, their lips met for kiss after kiss, moaning into to each other and pressing as close as their bodies could possibly allow, they kept going because they knew what would happen when they stopped. Reality would set in and this perfect joy would end.

The problem with endings is they always happen and there isn't anything you can do to avoid it. So the kiss did end and reality came charging to the front in the form of Dana backing away from Alice with wide eyes, left hand over her mouth. Touching it as if it had been burned, seared through with Alice's kiss and perhaps it had. Certainly Alice's kisses touched her deeper than any others before.

"I can't do this," Dana sobbed into her hand, reaching clumsily backwards for the knob to the front door with the other. "I'm sorry, Al. I can't do this... I can't risk it."

Shut.

Not a slam, not a bang, not even a whump, thought Alice. The woman that she loved probably more than anyone else in her short life simply shut the door after breaking her heart. Well, not breaking. Her heart was still beating so it wasn't broken. Dana had poked it maliciously causing it to ache bad enough that she thought it might soon end up broken.

Sighing heavily, Alice flopped down on the couch and rested her head back once again and thinking of last night, she said in grim observation, "I guess it was her turn to run away."

\---

Should God actually exist, they had to have the most perverse sense of humor. That's what Dana believed anyway. What else could explain her being an extraordinarily talented athlete who for some unknown reason was cursed to also be one of the clumsiest creatures on Earth?

Thirty three seconds into picking up the strewn clothing that she helped vacate from their previous home inside of a posh leather suitcase, Dana realized someone was talking to her. And it wasn't just anyone either. It was Tina talking to her.

She blinked vaguely at her friend, seeing her speak, watching her form the words, but at the same time not really hearing them. What was Tina doing here?

The blank expression on Dana's face told Tina quite clearly that the tennis player wasn't with her. Sighing quietly, Tina lifted a lone eyebrow and snapped her fingers in front of blue eyes. When Dana jolted out of her self induced suitcase packing hypnosis, Tina said dryly, "Welcome back."

"What are you doing here?" Dana voiced her thoughts as she always did. Before her brain could manage to stop her. Wincing now, Dana picked up the final piece of clothing which happened to be a black silk bra. Turning red from head to toe, Dana jerked her gaze to one side and thrust the bra towards Tina. "I meant to say... uhm... okay, I did mean to say what are you doing here. But in nicer tones that are definitely non-bitchy!" she exclaimed rapidly, looking to Tina only to dart her eyes away again as she realized Tina was still holding the black silk bra in her hands.

Chuckling fondly, Tina shook her head and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she closed the suitcase to hide the item that was causing Dana embarrassment. This singular action on the brunette's part got rid of any questions Tina might have had as to why Alice was in love with Dana. What had just happened was the best answer that Tina could have ever hoped to receive. Because in this Tina saw what Alice and a few select others had before her. And that was the realization that Dana could be devastatingly charming in her fumbled but earnest social dealings. When you added in the perfectly toned body that only an athlete in their prime could possess, Dana Fairbanks painted an extremely pretty picture. 

"All clear, the bra is packed. No danger of seeing anymore pieces of random lingerie on the loose," said Tina teasingly. When Dana didn't begin her usual 'I'm such a geek' speech, she frowned and ducked her head to study the tense features of her friend. "Dana," she murmured worriedly. "What's going on?" The frown deepening, Tina glanced back at the apartment building as if by doing so she would be able to see inside and discover if Alice matched Dana's current emotional condition. A protective streak emerged in Tina for the welfare of the woman who helped her so much in the past 24 hours and when she spoke again her voice held an underlined warning. "What happened?"

"I can't do it," Dana whispered, her tones trembling and quiet enough that Tina had to strain to properly hear her. "I told her that. I told her that I can't do it. That I just can't risk it."

Tina could feel the frown settle firmly on her face and she sighed, standing to then take Dana's hands, pulling her up from the odd crouching position they both had been in. After this took place Dana snapped out of her stupor much like she had done seconds earlier. She hurriedly looked at Tina then at the suitcase she held and then at Tina before settling her eyes back on the suitcase.

"Why do you have a suitcase?" asked Dana, genuinely perplexed. Lifting her gaze to lock eyes with Tina, she continued, "Why do you have a suitcase that has your clothes in it and why are you taking the suitcase to Alice's apartment?"

Releasing a sardonic chuckle, Tina averted her eyes and murmured, "I guess she didn't tell you. I might as well deliver the news myself. I'm going to have to get used to talking about it, after all. Given how fast gossip tends to spread in our community."

"Tina," said Dana hesitantly. She felt her heart sink and she just knew. Something in her knew exactly what Tina was about to say. She knew that she was going to be given yet another example of how love, while bringing happiness, can also cause a limitless amount of pain. "Where's Bette?"

"Bette," Tina spat the name out derisively, "is at the house. She's been having an affair with Candace, the carpenter she hired to work at the CAC. I've left her and Alice is letting me stay at her place. That's why I have a suitcase," drawled Tina with sad and ironic humor while a matching smile formed on her face. Tilting her head to one side, causing a lock of blonde hair to fall in front of hazel eyes, she said, "Any questions?"

There it was. The final nail going into the coffin that contained the Dana/Alice relationship in her mind. If Bette and Tina couldn't make it work how in the world could she manage? Alice she had more confidence in... she would be happy someday. Just not with Dana. Not in romance, anyway. If they were to try that Dana was sure she would mess things up and lose Alice completely. 

"I'm sorry, Tina," said Dana starkly. Her expression illustrated sheer exhaustion, as if she had finally surrendered in a long internal struggle and was trying to come to grips with the ramifications. "I thought that you and Bette would make it. That you would be the lucky exception to my rule." Dana opened her mouth to say something more but stopped herself and instead gathered Tina in her arms to murmur in her ear, "Call me if you need anything. I mean anything."

"I will," said Tina. She returned the hug, relishing the strength of her friend. It was when Dana opened the door to her Outback did she think to ask, "What rule?" When Dana didn't immediately turn to reply, Tina took a step forward and called out again, this time louder. "What rule, Dana?"

Keeping her back to Tina, her tan shoulders bunched and her body rigid, Dana spoke soft but steady, somehow loud enough for her friend to hear. "The rule I have about romances." Stepping inside her car to sit behind the wheel, Dana kept the door open and locked a piercing blue gaze on Tina, sorrowful but unwavering in its power. Then she said matter of factly, "They always end."

By the time that Tina could formulate any kind of response, Dana and her car were long gone. Releasing an annoyed sigh, Tina muttered, "That was very dramatic indeed, Miss Dana." Shaking her head, she walked inside, now intent on her new mission of checking on Alice.

When she opened the door to Alice's apartment, Tina was greeted with the sight of her friend sprawled on her incredibly tacky looking couch. She was clad in a pair of worn hip hugger jeans, a faded yellow t-shirt that said in large red block letters 'Bling Bling 100 Grand', and the blue cardigan sweater jacket that she'd been wearing when Tina first left. Sensing Tina's presence or maybe hearing it thanks to the sound of the apartment door opening and closing, Alice lazily moved her right arm from where it rested covering her eyes and peered at Tina.

"How did it go?" asked Alice, concern laced in both her voice and body language. Watching attentively as Tina put down the leather suitcase and realizing the question served the purpose of getting Tina to talk if she felt the need. Because it was fairly evident things hadn't gone well.

"Badly," Tina replied and they shared pained smiles only having the unhappy knowledge of truth could cause. Sitting down on the couch, she lifted Alice's legs to rest them on her lap as she sank onto the ugly plush cushions. Resting her head back against the couch and staring up at the ceiling like she had seen Alice do so many times before, Tina wondered what her friend looked at up there. The only thing she saw were tons of tiny dots. Maybe Alice counted the dots, Tina reasoned. Contemplating the mystery this presented for a few moments, she eventually met inquisitive brown eyes that had been patiently waiting and asked, "Do you want a roommate?"

Instead of answering, Alice pushed herself into a sitting position and wrapped an arm around Tina's waist. Pulling her close so they sat side by side with no room between them, her head falling to rest naturally on her companion's shoulder. They sat like that for what seemed like an eternity. Neither of them speaking a word but their comfortable silence saying volumes. That was all the answer that either of them would require.

\---

Right in between the reverberations of bongo drums and the whale song cd was when Shane decided she needed to find a new place to live. And it had to be absent of the people she was currently sharing space with. It wasn't that Shane didn't like them. I mean, it was a difficult task making Shane dislike someone. That just wasn't who she was. Shane liked people.

She was a people person which was a good trait to have when someone enjoyed having sex as much as Shane did. People who don't like people don't tend to have a lot of sex with people.

Running that sentence through her mind, Shane buried her head underneath her pillow and muttered, "Fuck. I don't make sense. The whale noises are making me not make sense."

There was nothing Shane hated more than not being coherent. All her life she had worked hard to choose her words carefully as to ensure she wouldn't be misunderstood. Usually it worked. Then again, usually she wasn't listening to bongo drums now combined with whale song cds and... ugh... what the hell was that? Bagpipes? She really didn't want to know.

Adding to the cacophony of sound was Shane's cell phone which was now ringing. Buried underneath a pair of her vinyl pants near the floor by her bed, it was playing the ringtone she had programmed for just one person.

"Fairbanks," drawled Shane by way of a greeting, answering the phone and hanging halfway off her messy bed, her forehead touching the floor. "What's up?"

"I need to talk to someone who can understand," Dana said in a rush, causing Shane to frown at the bizarre start of this conversation and the desperation entrenched in her friend's voice. "Will you have breakfast with me, Shane? I need to talk to someone who can understand."

"Slow down," instructed Shane, trying her best to soothe Dana. "I'll talk to you about whatever you need. I promise you that. But first you gotta tell me what's going on."

"I need your help, Shane," murmured Dana tersely. "That's what is going on. I'm calling because I need your help. I need to know how to deal with something and only you can tell me how."

"Which is?" asked Shane, reluctant to hear the answer.

A pause and then Dana said bleakly, "Hurting someone that loves you. Hurting someone you love."

Silence again as Shane pondered these words. Running them through her mind over and over while she tried to find the perfect response until she at last decided there wasn't one. 

"Where do you want to meet?" she said instead.

The relief in Dana's voice when she replied told Shane she had chosen her words correctly. Which was good for her because it was something Shane took pride in, being able to say the right thing to make a person feel better. From the way Dana sounded that was something she could use.

And Shane couldn't help but wonder why.

\---

"That was without a doubt the worst porn I've ever seen," Tina remarked, taking large handfuls of potato chips from the bag and munching on them. "I don't know why I'm surprised though. The title Playmate of the Apes should've told me all I needed to know about this film."

"Are you insulting one of the pinnacles of Misty Mundae's illustrious career?" asked Alice, sounding vaguely horrified. She waved her hands at the television screen where the movie was coming to an end. "I'll have you know that Playmate of the Apes is among the finest examples of erotic film parody the industry currently has to offer." 

"Al, come on. This movie has an ape named Dr. Cornholius who makes the two female leads perform a rap song in order to prove humans have working brains," laughed Tina incredulously, thoroughly enjoying the meaningless debate they were engaged in.

"Don't forget they also have a dance number," said Alice in sober tones, nodding her head. "And rhythm is so key to proving that humans have brains. Monkeys don't dance."

"Apes, Al," Tina couldn't stop laughing. There was something just incredibly funny about having this discussion. "They're apes! You don't even know what these things are. Have you really watched this movie? Not that I blame you if you haven't been paying attention. Then again, how sad would it be if you owned a movie you've never actually watched?"

Noticing the credits were rolling, Alice wiggled out from underneath the pile of blankets they'd buried themselves under on the couch and walked over to the television. Ejecting the dvd, Alice sniffed in disdain at Tina's words. "I'm not listening to you anymore. You were prejudiced against this fine film the moment you found out the main character's name was Gaylor."

"Gaylor, oh god. I nearly forgot!" declared Tina, rolling her eyes and flopping back onto the couch. "That is the stupidest name I've ever heard. Who names their kid Gaylor? And what sort of astronaut lets all her clothing get stolen five seconds into landing on a dangerous planet?"

"Sorry, I'm currently ignoring all complaints from the unenlightened masses," Alice said in sing song tones, putting the dvd back in its case and walking over to the cabinet where she kept her extensive collection. Frowning thoughtfully, she studied them and murmured, "What next?"

Hearing a tortured groan from the couch, she couldn't help but smile softly. Despite her friend's loud protests she knew the idiocy of these films were helping improve Tina's mood. Sometimes nothing made you feel better than having a good old fashioned laugh. Which was why Alice decided to share the funniest movies she owned with her friend. They all just happened to be bad pornos.

"All right," said Alice dramatically, turning around and holding a dvd in each hand. "The infidel may choose our next fine viewing experience. Which will it be? Lord of the G-Strings: Femaleship of the String or The Girl Who Shagged Me?" Tina burst into laughter upon hearing the titles and Alice rolled her eyes. Shaking the dvds menacingly at Tina, she said huffily, "If you don't pick then I will and I have a feeling you won't like what I choose."

"I have a feeling I won't like either of these," replied Tina, her laughter calming and wiping the tears from her eyes she took a deep breath. "Okay," she wheezed slightly, "I'm fine now. I know what to watch... Gaylor has instructed me from a monkey filled planet far far away to watch the awfulness that will no doubt be the Lord of the G-Strings."

"A wise decision from Gaylor," said Alice seriously, moving to put the dvd in before scrambling to jump on the couch. Snuggling underneath the blankets, she stole some chips from Tina's hands and commented, "They have great costumes in this one. The best part is the super gay boy elf."

"You mean to say they're wearing clothing in this?" asked Tina giving a good impression of disappointed disgust. "That is a travesty. I'm not sure I can enjoy watching this if it has clothed people in it. After all," she sighed, looking melancholy, "we have to have some standards."

Studying her companion for a long moment, Alice narrowed brown eyes then said, "Mock if you must but you have yet to witness the power of the sparkly green lederhosen."

"Oh god," Tina laughed at just imagining it and she immediately faced the television where the movie was starting. "I can't wait to see this."

"And another is converted by the power of Mundae," said Alice sagely, following suit and getting comfortable for another quality viewing experience.

\---

"Bette cheated on Tina," murmured Shane in something close to shock. Running her fingers through her perpetually unruly locks, she sighed deeply. "That's so fucked up."

"To say the least," Dana replied, sounding altogether subdued and not like herself. Then again, she'd been like that since the initial phone call and that alone made the usually indiferrent Shane curious. 

"What's really going on with you, Fairbanks?" Shane questioned, steadily looking at Dana until the tennis player finally met her gaze. "I get you want to talk but what about?"

Dana looked over the restaurant, something easily done from their hidden booth in the back that she'd requested in hope of having some meager privacy and said softly, "I'm sorry how I treated you when I was closeted. It was thoughtless and cruel. Especially considering what we have in common."

"You're losing me, babe," said Shane with quiet concern, her brow furrowed as she tried to understand this new side to Dana. "You gotta explain a little better for the kid on the short bus."

"Romance and relationships," said Dana simply, looking at Shane with a solemn gaze. "What's the first thing you think of when they come to mind?"

Tilting her head and wondering what the hell this was all about, Shane shrugged, seeing no problem in giving an honest answer. "That they're way too fucking complicated and I don't like that." Forming a lopsided smirk, she drawled, "I'm a fan of keeping things simple, you know?" Studying Dana carefully, Shane asked, "What do you think of?"

"They end," said Dana with wry and empty humor, a perverse smile pulling on her lips. "Or they just don't last or they have no chance at all. Either way, it's all the same result."

"I gotta say I'm surprised to hear you talk this way, Fairbanks," remarked Shane, nodding at the waitress when she arrived and placed their food orders in front of them. Absently cutting her pancake with her fork, Shane looked up at Dana and gave a small smile. "I figured you to be the type to believe in happily ever after Disney fairytales."

"Why? Because I can count the amount of people I've had sex with on one hand?" asked Dana, lifting her fork to take a bite of the fruit salad and grimacing as she recalled her first meeting with Alice. At the memory, she dropped the fork into the bowl, making a loud clang and she in continued bitter, almost harsh, tones, "We're afraid of the same thing, Shane. That's what we have in common. I've known that since the first time I met you. We're both terrified of the idea of someone really knowing us, of them getting close enough to see who we are underneath all the layers of fake bullshit we put out there. Because we think if they see who we really are they'll leave like that," Dana finished, snapping her fingers for emphasis.

"Okay," replied Shane softly, her green eyes veiled and studying her friend, she knew Dana was telling her the complete truth. Maybe for the first time in her life. "What're you saying then? That I push people away by making it about nothing but the sex and you, what? Do it by just not having sex at all?" Shane couldn't help but chuckle at this. "Since you're the celebrity among us shouldn't the positions be switched?"

Miserable and angst ridden as she was, Dana turned red at Shane's words and scowling upon feeling her cheeks heat up she muttered, "Shut up. It's not funny."

"How come you're telling me this?" asked Shane, spearing another piece of pancake and taking a bite. "Why now?"

Dana's jaw tightened, a tick emerging in it, and looking across the restaurant, she said, "Things have happened."

"Yeah? What things?" questioned Shane who paused in mid pour, holding a container of maple syrup in hand. "The shit with Bette and Tina or something else?"

"Oh, it's definitely something else," answered Dana with an agitated laugh that caused Shane to lift an eyebrow in speculation. "That I can safely say."

"Is it Tonya?" Shane pursued gently. "Did you guys have a fight or something and you're not sure when it comes to the engagement? Because that sorta thing is natural." Unable to stop herself, Shane released a sharp bark of laughter and muttered, "Hard not to have doubts, I guess. What with all that's going on..."

"I wish it was Tonya," said Dana wryly, the same empty humor from before shining in blue eyes. Averting her gaze because she wasn't sure she could actually look someone in the face, especially one of her friends, and say what came next. "I don't love Tonya. I never have. You want to ask why?" questioned Dana, bobbing her head and looking slightly manic. "Oh, the answer's pretty simple. I can't love Tonya because I love someone else. I have for years now, I've just been hiding it."

For the first time in a very long while, Shane McCutcheon found herself stunned into silence and unable to formulate any kind of response. She simply stared blankly at Dana for what seemed like endless moments then she cleared her throat and in her permanently husky tones, she reflected on Dana's confession. "You've been hiding it," repeated Shane skeptically. "From who? Yourself? Your friends? Or the chick you're in love with?"

"All the above," said Dana, matching the underlined sarcasm that was evident in Shane's words. "I know, it's so shocking that a person who spent most of their adult life in the closet could manage to hide something like being in love." Dana snorted and taking a drink of her juice, she muttered, "I've been doing this since I was sixteen and I'm sorry, Shane, it's just not that easy for me to suddenly stop. Even now, I'm supposed to be all out and proud and god, I am," Dana's eyes filled with tears of frustration, "but I can't give up these stupid secrets! It scares me too much, Shane." Bright blue eyes searched dark green and Dana said almost desperately, "You understand, don't you?"

"Not really, Dane," admitted Shane giving an ironic smile, running her fingers through her messy locks of hair. "But I get where you are coming from. I feel the same but man..." Sighing deeply, she looked away from Dana only to return her gaze after a moment. "I hate gossip but I gotta know. If it's not Tonya, then who are you in love with? Is it that chef of yours? Lara?"

Logically Dana knew telling Shane wasn't the same as telling Alice but somehow, strangely, it was. And fear rising in her throat, she tore her gaze from her companion and focused on the sight of a family getting ready to leave the restaurant. The mother putting the jacket on their little boy, the father gently placing the baby girl in her carrier, the oldest sister gathering up all the toys. Her family never looked like that. They ate out together, yes, but it wasn't like that... it wasn't warm and it wasn't caring. It was a formal and cold affair and more often than not Dana wondered while growing up if the only thing that linked them was genetics. Certainly the love didn't appear to be there. 

"It's not Lara," whispered Dana, concentrating on the family she never had and thought she never would have. Dragging her gaze to her friend who looked at her with such concern she felt her throat constrict at the sight. "She loves me, Shane. Really loves me. She told me that today. And I'm so afraid of losing her that I can't be with her and it's killing me," Dana revealed hoarsely, the restrained sorrow evident in her every word.

"Who?" Shane asked again, patiently waiting.

Turning her eyes back to the family who were now say goodbye to the waitress, watching as the father gave her an apparently hefty tip, Dana gathered what little courage she possessed and for the first time in her life, said the words. Told the truth about who she was and exactly who she loved. Had faithfully loved for years and would continue to love.

"Alice," said Dana in a hushed confession. Watching the family leave, the door closing behind them, walking to their car, smiles on their faces, the love behind each action. Facing a stunned Shane, she continued softly, "I'm in love with Alice. It's always been her, from the very beginning." Dana's voice broke on her final words. "And I'm starting to think she loves me too."

For an unwarranted second time, Shane found herself lacking the proper words to voice her thoughts. So she did the only thing that she could think of. She stood up and moved to sit next to Dana in their booth, gathering the woman who was shaking with sobs and holding her close to try and ease the pain. Though part of her was taken aback to hear it was Alice who Dana loved another part wasn't. They fit together somehow and to Shane it was right, the idea of them as a couple.

All she had to do was help Dana try and overcome her fear. Absently smoothing the tennis player's wavy locks as her crying slowed into occasional gasping sobs, Shane knew this wasn't going to be an easy task. But she couldn't help but be optimistic because it WAS Alice that Dana was in love with. And if Alice felt the same as Dana did, Shane knew that the journalist wasn't the type to roll over and give up at the first sign of trouble. That just wasn't her style. No, Alice would fight for what she wanted and who she loved until her last breath.

Huh.

Maybe hooking them up wouldn't be that hard after all. 

\---

There were a lot of places that Tina had been in Los Angeles but staring at the rundown building in front of her and avoiding eye contact with the men covered in tattoos that were standing in front of it taking a smoke, she realized there were even more she hadn't been. Perhaps that was a good thing, she thought nervously while Alice locked the mini and came over to her.

"Al," Tina said in low tones though she had no idea why precisely she was speaking so softly. "Why are we here? I thought you said you were going to show me something special. Looking at this place, somehow I'm doubting that."

"Why? Because the name of the bar is Police Line or the fact that it has 'Do Not Cross' painted across the door in huge yellow letters?" asked Alice, chuckling at her joke and pulling Tina inside the bar, giving an absent wave to the men outside who, to Tina at least, grinned knowingly at Alice. "Trust me when I say this isn't a hangout for local cops. It's anything but."

Instead of responding, Tina warily looked around the bar and wondered why they were there. They had spent all day inside Alice's apartment, watching bad porn, talking, crying, and laughing for good measure. Then when ten o'clock rolled around and Tina asked if they should stay inside or go out because she somehow felt equally inclined to do either just to keep her mind from her personal life, Alice leapt to her feet and ran from the room with phone in hand saying she knew exactly what they should do. Before Tina knew it, they were getting dressed in casual club attire. Though Alice was dressed a little unusual, even for herself, in a pair of pants that were partially jean and leather, a short sleeved white shirt that said 'clone', and black Doc Martens. Tina had never seen Alice wear clothes like this and while it did take her surprise, she still found it attractive nonetheless.

Eyes adjusting to the dark and smoky atmosphere of the bar, Tina thought she could've figured out for herself it wasn't a cop bar after looking at it for a second. The patrons were a mix of all types, they were gay, straight, punkers, preps, and a couple of bikers thrown in for fun. There was a decent sized stage on the far side of the room, an elevated area in the far right corner where a few round tables sat, while the left side was completely taken up by an long bar that had its back wall covered with liquors of every type and color. The center of the club was large and empty, making Tina think it was there either as a dance floor or just a place for the crowd to gather during the shows.

Currently there were around a hundred or so people milling about the club and just as Tina started to ask Alice why they were there someone boisterously called the blonde's name. Turning with Alice to face the culprit, Tina blinked at the sight of a man pretty enough to be a girl rushing their way. His spiky hair was dyed blue and every inch of his thin arms that were revealed by his blank tank top was covered in tattoos. Her expression grew more amused and curious as he shrieked Alice's name again this time in a type of odd ecstasy while hugging her enthusiastically. Meeting Tina's gaze from where her chin was resting on his shoulder, Alice mouthed largely yet silently, "Gay boy."

Unable to help herself, Tina burst into laughter like she had done countless times already and the man turned from Alice to her with an interested look on his sharp features. "Ali baby," he chastised and released an overdramatic sigh. "You didn't tell me that you were bringing some of your women folk with you! I demand an introduction and quickly."

"Yeah, yeah," Alice rolled her eyes playfully. Wrapping an arm around Tina's waist to pull her close, she said, "Tina this is Ed. Ed this is Tina. There. You got your quickie introduction. Happy?" Though she said this in sardonic tones there was a humorous twinkle in brown eyes, making her fondness for the man before her entirely obvious.

"I'm quivering with delight, I'm sure," drawled Ed, sounding naughty and wiggling his eyebrows in a manner that Tina had seen Alice use many times. "So!" he declared, focusing on Tina, and clapping his hands as he said the word as if using it for emphasis. "You're in for quite the show, Tina. It's been eons since Ali has graced our stage and I know that means she has a whole overflowing barrel of misery to dump on us tonight."

"You make it sound so dirty," commented Alice, wearing a slight expression of disgust. "And not in a good way. More in a gross porta-potty way. Just ick, Ed. Big time ick."

"Femme! You dress butch for me but alas, you have gotten fucking femme," Ed announced, turning his nose up and biting the nail on his thumb. "Very sad, it is. I'm not sure I want you sharing my stage now. Even if you did wear the pants I got for you like I asked. I really must rethink this."

"You're such a liar, you bitch," laughed Alice who gave him a kick to his shins causing Ed to take a jump backwards. "Who was the one shrieking yes over and over on the phone so loudly my eardrum almost burst when I called to ask if I could join the musical chaos for the evening?"

"That's before I knew you had suddenly been overtaken by the personality of a person who wears pink taffeta and large spangley earrings," retorted Ed, though an affectionate smile curved on his lips. Turning to Tina, he mock whispered to her, "I think we should conduct an intervention, don't you? Before this horrifying trend goes too far and nothing can be done to save her."

"An intervention sounds good to me," said Tina, a smirk forming while she recalled the one she had been exposed to thanks to Alice and her other friends. 

"Zen people don't seek revenge, T. Don't you know that?" whined Alice, wearing the expression of a woman betrayed making Tina laugh at the sight.

"When did I ever say that I'm zen?" retorted Tina, sticking out her tongue before giving into her comedic urges and wagging it at Alice who gasped in faux shock at the gesture. 

"Scandalous wench, isn't she?" Alice muttered to Ed, who smirked and looked ready to reply when his name was shouted loudly from the direction of the stage. 

"And that would be my quaint cue to get things up and running," said Ed as he turned back to face them. Leaning in to kiss Tina on her cheek, he murmured, "I hope you enjoy the show, darling. Trust me when I say it will be utterly fabulous." Pointing a finger at Alice, he said, "And you! I'm going to retrieve your honorary Fender for the night and this time I expect you to leave it tuned properly."

"You sure know how to make a girl feel special," said Alice dryly, hands on her hips.

Already weaving his way through the crowd to get to the stage, Ed called absently back to Alice, "Of course I do, Ali baby! I'm a queen!"

Laughing at this, Alice turned to Tina only to immediately stop when she felt shoulders gripped in an excited hold by her friend. "Al!" she shrieked in amazed delight. "Does this mean that you brought me here to listen to you play? Play play?!"

"Yes, I'm here to play play," Alice laughed again, feeling the weight of the world lift off of her shoulders upon seeing Tina's happiness. Which was part of the reason she came up with the idea of sharing this part of her life with her friend. "Much like wanting to write for people who read People." At this, Tina gave her a playful shove and Alice feigned hurt as she rubbed her shoulder. "Violent thing, aren't you?" Sobering quietly, she took Tina's hands in hers and squeezed them tenderly. "I wanted to take you here because this is where I go and what I do when I feel down. I guess you could call it my secret form of emotional therapy. Ed's an old friend... really old, like from middle school. His band used to tour with mine back in college, play the same joints, and when I left Butter he gave me an open invitation to jam with them anytime I wanted. Somehow we got in this habit of me calling him when I felt shitty and him setting up a gig for us where I could get on stage and just let loose." Alice looked away from Tina, feeling almost mortified at revealing so much of herself to another person. "I know," she released a derisive laugh, rubbing the back of her messy head of hair. "Stupid, right? It's just playing music and it's not even my music. We just do a bunch of song covers for stuff that's appropriately angry, sad, or just crazy pissed off. Not like it's rocket science or--"

A pair of soft lips covering her own interrupted Alice in a fashion that was undeniably efficient and when Tina pulled away, small but pleased smile on her face, she saw Alice staring at her with the same dim expression she wore on hearing about the crush. Pushing back a stray lock of hair from Alice's eyes, Tina murmured, "It isn't stupid. I think it's wonderful, just like I'm sure that you'll be wonderful." Her hands fell and Tina smiled gently then nodded at the stage causing Alice to turn around and see Ed bouncing across it in a wild attempt to get her attention. "And from the looks of it I'll be hearing how wonderful you are pretty soon."

Waving at Ed, acknowledging his strange request for her to get onstage, Alice looked to Tina with concern. "T," she began in soft almost hesitant tones, "are you sure you're okay?" Giving into old habits, she continued with self deprecating humor, "Because kissing me without bribery involved is considered a sign of insanity in a psychology book somewhere, I'm sure."

Rolling her eyes and pulling Alice in for a hug, Tina reassured, "I'm fine." Pulling away to clasp her friend's arms, she gave her best glowing smile. "I just think Dana's a big idiot and I wish I didn't love Bette as much as I do."

"Well, if that's all," Alice heaved a sigh and smiled wryly in return. "Then I think I have to say I feel the same. Regular peas in a pod, aren't we, T?"

"Totally," agreed Tina, nodding and smiling as Alice gave her one last hug before heading towards the stage where Ed was throwing a mini tantrum at being forced to wait. Watching this with veiled eyes, Tina shook her head then said quietly to herself, "Dana Fairbanks. I never thought it possible but I'm actually feeling jealous of you."

\---

There were times when Lara didn't want to go home. Maybe it was because of a rough day at work, a bad date, or simply feeling restless but whatever caused it she always ended up in the same place. The 24 hour gym at the club which was perpetually abandoned in the wee hours of the night.

For those curious, Lara considered 11:37 p.m. to be among the wee hours of the night. At least when it came to gym usage.

That's why she was definitely surprised to see someone else in the gym when she walked through the door. She was more surprised to see that it was her ex-girlfriend, Dana Fairbanks. Though the surprise at seeing Dana was probably due to the fact that since their sudden and rather unexpected break up Lara had gone out of her way to avoid the tennis player. Which was easier than it sounded, despite the fact that she worked at the club where Dana trained.

Maybe because Dana was avoiding her as well.

She moved to exit the gym before Dana noticed her presence but stopped upon taking a closer look at the brunette. The look on her face was one of haunted desolation and she was going through her workout routine at a frantic pace. Although Lara wouldn't ever call herself an athlete, especially by the standard Dana was at, she could tell when someone was running them self ragged.

And that was precisely what Dana was doing. Unable to stop the swell of anxiety she felt on seeing this, Lara walked over to her ex to stand beside her at the weight machine. "Dana," she murmured worriedly, carefully placing a hand on the bunched and tension filled shoulder in front of her. "You need to stop or you'll hurt yourself."

Like a robot, Dana ceased her movements and looked at her with an expression so completely miserable Lara almost felt her heart break at the sight. "Lara?" Dana frowned in confusion, her brow furrowing in the cute way the redhead loved. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to work out," said Lara simply. A small smile, tender yet humorous formed and she added, "But not quite on the same level that you're currently at, I think."

"Oh," was all Dana said as she rose to her feet and slung a nearby towel around her neck. Rubbing her left shoulder, she muttered, "I was trying to understand something... what I should do and usually I get my answers when I exercise but it didn't help..."

"So you just kept going?" asked Lara softly.

"Pretty much," said Dana wryly, looking embarrassed at herself. After she said this, she seemed to realize for the first time who she was talking to and her blue eyes went wide. "Lara!" she sputtered nervously. "I'm sorry! You don't want to talk to me about this. I bet you don't even want to see me." Grabbing her bag and shoving things inside it hurriedly, Dana continued in a rush, "I'm sorry. I'll get out of here and leave you alone. That's the least you deserve after what I did to you."

"Shhh, Dana, calm down. It's all right," Lara soothed and she moved to hold Dana's hands, ceasing their rapid pace packing. Leaning down to put their faces close, she smiled sweetly and murmured, "I like seeing you. Which is good since your Subaru ads are fairly popular."

"How can you like seeing me after how I treated you?" asked Dana, who couldn't bear to face Lara with the memories of what she had done coming back to her. Yet another reason why she had to stay away from Alice. Look at how she had hurt Lara who had been nothing but kind and supportive to her. She would surely do the same to Alice. "I was horrible to you."

"You were scared," corrected Lara, tucking some hair behind Dana's ear in a loving gesture. She knew she shouldn't be touching Dana this way, looking at her this way, but even after all that had happened she was still captured by the shy and almost delicate beauty of this woman. Dana, while often closed off, was at the same time the most emotionally honest person Lara had ever known and she found that incredibly attractive. "I understand being scared. Everyone does."

"I'm a coward, that's all I am," Dana spat the words out bitterly, turning away from Lara and clenching her hands into fists. "And cowards don't deserve understanding."

"Dana," Lara watched with troubled eyes as the brunette's fingernails dug into the palms of her hands. Reaching out to gently unclasp them, she asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

When Lara's hands moved from her own to gently cup her face in a movement that reminded Dana so much of Alice, she burst into tears. Stunned by this reaction, Lara held Dana to her, rocking her to and fro and making soft comforting noises. After several minutes, the tennis player's sobs quieted into sniffles and they sank to the gym floor.

Her head resting in the crook of Lara's shoulder, nose nuzzled into her neck, Dana whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I did to you."

Shivering at the feeling of Dana's hot breath on her skin, Lara met their eyes and felt her heart skip a beat at the vulnerability being shown to her by the brunette. Such displays of emotion were once everything she had wished for from Dana and it was now overwhelming to receive it unbidden. "It's all right," she echoed her earlier words of reassurance. "You weren't ready to come out and I never should have pushed you."

"Not that," said Dana, rubbing at her teary eyes and laughing harshly as she realized all she had done to the redhead. "God, I did so many bad things to you and you were nothing but good to me." Facing Lara, her blue eyes pleading for some type of forgiveness, Dana looked inconsolable. "I used you to try and forget about her but I couldn't. I love her so much. I'm sorry, Lara. I'm so sorry."

An expression of peace fell over Lara's pretty features and Dana watched teary eyed as the same kind smile she had seen so many times before was flashed her way. Sobbing as a soft hand brushed her cheek, Dana was helplessly captured by Lara's gaze and the redhead slowly moved forward and their foreheads met gently.

"Have you told Alice yet?" asked Lara in a whisper.

By way of reply, Dana burst into tears again and Lara smiled sadly and pulled the athlete close. Cradling her tenderly as she realized with regret this would definitely be the last time she would ever get to hold Dana like this again. That was fine though. All she had ever wanted was for Dana to be happy and for awhile she thought she could be the person to do that despite the fact that she knew the tennis player loved her best friend. Though at the time she wasn't sure if Dana knew that.

Apparently she did and that meant Lara really didn't have much of a chance when it came to Dana romantically. But maybe now they could finally be friends. Something that Lara had wanted for quite some time now.

"Dana! What are you doing?" A loud shriek pierced the air and Lara looked up to see a woman with piles of curly hair wearing a face of pure disgust.

"Who are you?" asked Lara, frowning at the woman who had made her way over to them and was currently tugging a rather lethargic Dana to her feet.

"Never mind who I am! Who are you?!" demanded the woman imperiously, raking her eyes up and down Lara's frame contemptuously.

"I'm Lara Perkins and I don't know who you are and I really don't care to know but maybe you shouldn't be dragging Dana around like that," said Lara irritably, not at all liking the possessive and almost rough way the woman was holding Dana. "She's not a toy."

The woman opened her mouth to reply but was silenced as Dana stated quietly, "I want to go home, Tonya. I'm sorry for not calling you all day but can you please take me home?"

"Of course, sweetie," said Tonya who immediately returned to Dana's side, rubbing her arms and smiling large. "Why don't you head to the car? I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay," Dana replied, appearing to have lost any strength to disagree with the other woman. Pausing at the exit, she turned back to look at Lara and smiled wanly. "Thank you."

"You don't ever have to thank me, Dana," said Lara sincerely, trying to reassure the other woman in both her expression and her voice. "I just want you to be happy. That's all I ever wanted."

Dana's head fell in a weak form of acknowledgement and then she was gone. Leaving Lara alone in the gym with Tonya who watched their interaction with increasing rage.

"I know who you are," Tonya seethed, taking a step towards the redhead. "And don't think I don't also know what you're up to. Dana is mine now so you just keep your distance." 

"Again, I state the fact that Dana is a person and not a possession," said Lara, beginning to get angry. "You can't dictate her life, you know. She can make her own decisions."

Dark eyes narrowed decisively and Tonya stared Lara down then said in tones of cool control, "Stay away from my fiance."

Then with a toss of overly curled large hair, she was gone and Lara was finally alone in the gym as she expected to be when she had first arrived. Wearing a mystified expression, Lara said, sounding thoroughly baffled, "Fiance?"

\---

The transformation from funny everyday normal Alice into funny rock star Alice was a disturbingly easy one, Tina thought. Standing on stage, playing her borrowed Fender guitar with enthusiasm and ease, she was still Alice but somehow she was just more of everything.

She was more attractive, more charming, more funny, more intelligent, and without a doubt more sexy. So much so that as she watched her stoop down to interact with the audience, to their enthusiastic delight, Tina wondered if she had seen this side of Alice at the same time she first met Bette who exactly would she have fallen for.

At that moment, laughing as the blonde went into a complicated riff while sticking her tongue out in Tina's direction, she thought it would've had to have been Alice. The song came to end with audience cheers and cat calls Tina had grown to expect since the show started, making Alice beam widely before standing at the microphone she shared with Ed. 

"Boys and girls of all ages and orientations," Alice's voice rumbled playfully over the crowd who responded loudly to her words. "Would you like to hear a duet?"

"I think that's a yes," said Ed who easily sidled up next to Alice while the crowd cheered.

"I don't know," drawled Alice in response, tilting her head thoughtfully. "It didn't sound like a yes to me." Peering back at the rest of the band, she called, "Did it sound like a yes to you?" When they gave various exaggerated forms of the word no, Alice shrugged and faced the audience. "You see that? It wasn't a yes. I think you have to do a little better."

Tina boomed with the rest of the club for them to play a duet and Alice held her hand to her ear, acting as if she had to strain to hear them. Nodding somberly, she leaned close to Ed then smiled mischievously and said into the microphone, "Duet time."

Backing away from the microphone to move downstage, Alice started a hard and distinctive melody on her guitar, smiling when she looked up to meet Tina's eyes. While she played, Ed stepped up to the mic and sang the opening lyrics, "When the feelin' is ended. There ain't no use pretendin'. Don't you worry, it's only love. When your world has been shattered. Ain't nothin' else matters. It ain't over, it's only love. And that's all, yeah!"

Wearing a grin to match Alice's, he took over the guitar melody and Alice stood at the microphone to sing her part. Keeping her eyes locked with Tina's, her gaze warm as she sang, "When your heart has been broken. Hard words have been spoken. It ain't easy, but it's only love. And if your life ain't worth livin'. And you're ready to give in. Just remember, that it's only love."

Doing a goofy little dance to stand at Alice's side, Ed played in synchronization with her and they both leaned forward to sing, "You can live without the aggravation. You gotta wanna win, you gotta wanna win. You keep lookin' back in desperation. Over and over and over again!"

"When your world is shattered," Ed sang on his own and Alice moved to continue the guitar melody. "Ain't nothin' else matters. It ain't over, it's only love."

"If your life ain't worth livin'," in an instant Alice was there in his place and with fluid ease, Ed kept up the riff as she sang. "And you're ready to give in. Just remember, that it's only love."

Wearing matching smiles, Ed and Alice stood side by side and sang into the microphone with the same elated energy, "Yeah, that's all! Yeah, it ain't easy baby. But it's only love and that's all!"

The song ended and a roar of applause came from the audience and watching Alice's face light up with happiness, Tina knew that Dana had to see this. She had to see this side of Alice, she had to see how much Alice felt, how much she truly did love Dana, and most importantly she had to hear it expressed in the most meaningful way Tina could imagine.

That decided, Tina squeezed her way past the crowd to go outside and make a phone call.

\---

Shoving her workout gear into her bag in the locker room because Tonya, for whatever reason, insisted she change into her normal clothes Dana tried to block out her fiance's voice. Though she knew full well she deserved the complaints and lecture because she had been a jerk for not calling Tonya to let her know where she was between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. it didn't change the fact it was annoying her.

Which was why she answered her cell phone with a great deal of relief when it began ringing. On seeing Tina's name pop up on the caller ID she answered with a worried, "Tina? You okay?"

"I'm fine!" Tina laughed and Dana could hear the passing of cars along with music in the background. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor though."

"Anything," said Dana immediately. "What do you need?"

"I'm out trying to cheer up over... well, you know," said Tina, her voice cutting out somewhat. "And I'd like to have some more of my friends around. Do you think you could come?"

"Of course," Dana replied, ignoring the look of frustration that Tonya was wearing on her face. "Where are you?"

Getting the directions from Tina and some more reassurances that the blonde really was doing all right, Dana ended the call and prepared to face the music as it were. Then a part of her wondered why she had to do that. Why she had to do anything Tonya wanted. She didn't love her, she didn't want her, part of Dana didn't know if she even liked her anymore.

And so, she stared at Tonya and not really hearing the complaints that were coming out of her mouth, Dana stated, "I'm going out."

Then she walked out of the locker room, to her car, climbed inside and drove away, turning off her cell phone to prevent the no doubt wave of angry calls she would soon be receiving. But somehow, doing what she wanted was worth it.

\---

Stepping inside the bar after several minutes of trepidation upon reading its name and the writing on the door, Dana frowned and searched the smoky surroundings for her friend. She had never been in this part of Los Angeles and frankly, it made her a tiny bit nervous but that didn't matter because Tina wanted her here.

Listening to the almost hypnotic voice of the male singer she could hear but couldn't see, Dana weaved her way through the myriad of bar inhabitants. At least they had good music. That more than made up for the shoddy appearance of the bar. Then again, the sheer variety of people who were here also helped do that. She hadn't ever seen such a diverse crowd and Dana couldn't help but think that it was a good thing.

"Dana!"

Hearing her name, Dana looked in the direction it came from and saw Tina pushing her way through the crowd, smiling and holding a beer in each hand. Giving one to her friend, the blonde said happily, "You made it! I'm so glad."

"I said I would," replied Dana, resisting the urge to frown and taking a sip of the beer. Leaning close so her companion could hear her over the music, she said, "Are you all right? Why did you want me to come here anyway?"

Instead of replying, Tina wore a mysterious and knowing smile then took Dana's free hand in her own. Leading Dana expertly through the crowd until they were on the right side of the bar, climbing up the steps to the elevated area that that gave a clear view of the stage and had the reserved tables for bar regulars and guests of the musicians. Which Dana and Tina happened to be.

Sitting down at the table Ed had gotten them at the front that had the best view, Tina watched Dana stare transfixed at Alice who was finishing a complicated end riff to the song on her guitar. When the song ended and the audience erupted into applause, Dana seemed to snap out of her trance and looked down at Tina. Feeling sympathetic, Tina pulled the tennis player to sit in the chair next to hers and moved closer in order to be heard.

"That's why I wanted you to come here," Tina answered Dana's earlier question, nodding at Alice who was smiling big and talking to Ed. "I wanted you to see her like this. If you love her like I think you do then you need to see her like this. You need to know."

Frowning deeply, Dana asked, "Know what?"

Tina started to respond but stopped when Alice's voice sounded in the air, breathless and husky. "Are you enjoying my songs about heartbreak?" When the crowd roared its approval, Alice shook her head and chuckling, she declared in haughty tones, "You evil bastards." There was more cheering at this and tilting her head, Alice continued, "Then I bet you would love to hear some melodrama and angst." Cheers again and she frowned, as if straining to hear them. Sighing heavily, Alice said, "You know, that didn't sound like you wanted to hear some melodrama and angst. I have to know if you want it. Now," she drawled slowly, "do you want it?"

"We want it!" the crowd and Dana, much to Tina's amusement, shouted.

"C'mon, Ali baby," wheedled Ed, moving to stand next to her at the microphone. "Have a heart. They want it. They really, really, want it."

"I don't know," mused Alice. "Do you really want the melodrama and the angst?" Once again, the crowd and Dana shouted their approval. "Oh all right," Alice sighed then formed an impish smile. "I'll give you the melodrama and the angst." The shouting returned in full force and she chuckled. "Now remember you asked for this. Ed," Alice nodded at her friend, "start the bass line." At her words, a mesmerizing low beat filled the air and Alice gripped the microphone, causing the stand to move towards her. "This is for my number one crush."

Dana froze at the words and the haunting sound of Alice's voice as she began the song. "I would die for you. I would die for you. I've been dying just to feel you by my side. To know that you're mine."

The loud cheers and cat calls died down and the audience seemed to sway together as Alice pulled the microphone from the stand and prowled the stage. "I will cry for you. I will cry for you. I will wash away your pain with all my tears. And drown your fear. I will pray for you. I will pray for you. I will sell my soul for something pure and true." Pausing in her walk, Alice seemed to be looking at something only she could see and then sang, "Someone like you."

"See your face every place that I walk in," Alice snapped back into reality, a painful smile curving on her features and if Dana didn't know before this song was for her she surely did now. "Hear your voice every time I am talking. You will believe in me. And I will never be ignored," she declared powerfully, letting all who heard know she wasn't about to surrender her feelings.

"I will burn for you. Feel pain for you. I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart. I'll tear it apart," Alice announced, her hand falling to tug at her shirt causing several audience members up front to cheer excitedly and Dana's eyes to narrow in jealousy. "I will lie for you. I can steal for you. I will crawl on hands and knees until you see. You're just like me."

Somewhere in between that last lyric and the next, Alice spotted Dana sitting next to Tina. Their eyes locked and in that moment there was no one else. Alice was singing for Dana alone. "Violate all my love that I'm missing. Throw away all the pain that I'm living." She was pleading in her eyes, expression, and voice. Pleading for Dana to listen, really listen to the lyrics. "You will believe in me. And I can never be ignored."

"I would die for you. I would kill for you. I will steal for you. I'd do time for you. I would wait for you," Alice sang and she stared deep, so deep Dana was sure she could see into her soul. And as she sang, Dana finally knew everything that Alice was willing to do and go through to be with her and knowing this made her feel more worthless than she could've ever imagined. She wasn't good enough and she never would be. This is what she did, what she caused, this song. Nothing but pain for Alice and that killed Dana. Still the song went on. "I'd make room for you. I'd sail ships for you. To be close to you. To be a part of you. Cause I believe in you."

Running from the table, from the bar, from the people, but unable to escape the sound of Alice's haunting voice as she sang, "I believe in you." But Dana didn't deserve the belief that Alice had in her. She knew she didn't because she knew she wasn't strong enough. Never had been and she never would be, no matter what anyone said.

And as she ran again, fleeing into the cool night air, Dana heard and couldn't escape from Alice's parting words. "I would die for you."

\---

When Dana ran Tina had to wonder if it was a sign that she should just stop making plans. Because all they seemed to do lately was fall apart and that being so, it was hard to believe in them. The fact that Alice made it through the rest of a show without any visible signs of a breakdown showed that she was an admirable performer.

Then again, Tina already knew that. Anyone who was Alice's friend did. She loved to put on a show, to entertain and amuse. That was who she was and Tina supposed it was that part of her personality that saved her when Tina's plan went to hell with Dana's abrupt exit.

It was beyond Tina what exactly Dana was running from. Her own feelings? Alice's feelings? Her fears? The only thing that Tina knew was she had royally fucked things up for Alice and that thought made her impossibly angry with herself.

Sighing heavily and looking around the tiny dressing room, Tina tried to think of the right words explain her actions. Then she caught sight of two pictures placed slightly off center on the wall of framed photographs of the various bands who performed at the bar. The first featured Ed's band, Bitter Fruit, in the midst of what appeared to be a very emotional song and there was Alice, standing on the far left in the picture, face set in concentration as she played. The second picture...

Alice's hair was long and natural color of brown, tied away from her face with a pair of braids on top, her jeans were far too large and barely held up by a clunky leather belt, the black tank top she wore revealed the tattoo wasn't there yet. She found it very strange to see Alice looking that young but what affected Tina the most was the expression on her face.

Pure unadulterated happiness.

And god help her, Tina couldn't remember the last time or if at all Alice had looked like that. The thought made her want to cry though she suspected that impulse was due to hormones. Sniffling and rubbing her eyes, Tina leaned in and peered more carefully at the photograph, focusing on the other woman in it who was surely Tayo, the infamous first girlfriend Alice had spoken about during the Dinah Shore weekend. After a few moments, Tina decided it was useless to try and figure out from a still picture what Alice had found so special about her. Sadly, it just couldn't be done.

Sighing again, Tina contemplated sitting down but then she noticed a familiar messy scrawl at the bottom of the picture. A slow smile forming on her face, Tina laughingly read it aloud, "Butter rules."

"Hell yeah, Butter rules," Alice's low drawl filled the air and Tina turned to see her friend leaning in the doorway. Closing the door with a soft click, she looked at the pictures and grinned. "I guess you found proof that even I was a badly dressed teen at some point, huh?"

"Al, I'm sorry... I didn't think, well, I guess I didn't think," admitting Tina wryly, sitting down on the nearby couch. Looking up at Alice stood in front of her, expression inscrutable, Tina then whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make things worse."

"An earthquake would make things worse. What happened tonight was just life," said Alice, quirking an eyebrow and flopping down next to Tina. Wrapping a gentle arm around her friend's waist, she murmured, "Don't get down on yourself about this, T. I can guess what you were thinking with calling Dana and you know, normally it would have worked. To be honest, I'm not sure why it didn't work tonight. Maybe the universe was out of alignment or something." Groaning in frustration, Alice laid her head back and Tina couldn't help but grin on seeing her stare up at the ceiling. "I do know that I need to stop doing this kind of shit or I'll ruin it with Dane before things have gotten started."

"Wait, what did you do?" asked Tina, frowning in confusion. "I'm the one who called Dana. The only thing you did was sing..."

"I did more than that and you know it," replied Alice, resting her right arm over her eyes. She was silent for a moment then said, "I've got this bad habit of rushing things. Trying to force connections and feelings in my relationships. I let myself or hell, I convince myself, I've fallen in love and I do it so quickly that it does nothing but scare people away. I can't do that with Dana."

"You aren't rushing though!" protested Tina, unable to stop herself from voicing her opinion on this. "You've known her for years and loved her, anyone can see that. The only thing that's quick is you just now realizing that you're IN love with her."

Lifting the arm from her eyes, Alice chuckled and dropping her hand to cup Tina's cheek, she smiled tenderly. "That's semantics and you know it, T." When Tina reached up to squeeze her hand, she murmured, "I need to go slowly. I'm not about to let myself make the same stupid mistakes I always do when it comes to Dana. She matters too much for me to do that. Maybe what happened tonight was a good thing. It made me see that I was starting to go into those bad habits again."

They held their gazes, sharing a silent connection and after a few moments, Tina formed a playful smirk. "Congratulations Alice Pieszecki," Tina began in an overly perky voice that imitated countless game show hosts. "You're officially pursuing an adult relationship!"

"God, T... thanks for that," Alice groaned pitifully, her hands rising up to cover her eyes and she sank into the couch, seeming to meld with it. "You have officially made me feel old and boring."

"That's happening just now?" asked Tina teasingly.

"Meanie! You're a big meanie," declared Alice, squirming in her seat and burying her head underneath several pillows as she laid down on the couch. 

"But now comes the hard part," said Tina in thoughtful tones. She waited for a sign Alice that was paying attention and when she saw curious brown eyes peer at her from behind the pile of pillows, she continued mischievously, "Getting Dana to actually date you."

A sudden and fierce barrage of pillows came instead of any verbal response and Tina squealed with delight, catching one of the stray pillows in her hand to whap Alice over the head with it. The two women were soon involved in a massive pillow fight that didn't stop even when they heard the door open and Ed's sardonic remarks about kindergarten letting out early.

They just exchanged matching evil grins and concentrated their efforts for a joined pillow attack on Ed. Which, upon considering their evening thus far, wasn't a bad way to end the night.

\---

The first thing Dana thought when she walked through the door of her condo and was confronted with Tonya and her complaints was that she was tired. Not tired physically but more mentally and spiritually. She found it exhausting, now more than ever, to continue pushing people away. To hide her feelings about who she loved in some vague attempt to protect her heart from this long held phantom concept of having it broken one day.

After all, what did that matter when it was already breaking from not being with Alice when she knew... really knew that Alice did love her. True, she was haunted by the thought of losing Alice thanks to the mistakes she consistently made in her fumbling attempts at romance but wasn't she already losing her in pushing her away? Yes, Alice would be there for her. She would remain her friend but something would be lost. The blonde would surely forgive Dana but there would be an air of discomfort around them. Their natural ease with each other would disappear and for what?

To keep her heart safe? Safe, that's all. Her heart would be safe, not beating hard with passion, not skipping a beat from love, just safe. Functioning and nothing more.

Staring at Tonya blankly, not hearing one word she was saying, Dana realized she was sick of merely functioning. She wanted to be alive... she wanted to be swept up in emotion... she wanted to lose control... she wanted what Alice did to her with every look, word, and touch.

She wanted to be in love. And being in love most definitely did not involve Tonya. 

Tonya's words slowly faded in and Dana heard as the other woman declared, "I simply will not stand for this, Dana! I am your fiance and unless you want this wedding to be called off you better--"

"Fine," Dana interrupted calmly, meeting Tonya's gaze.

"What?" asked Tonya, looking altogether baffled.

"Fine," repeated Dana in quiet tones, completely certain she was doing the right thing, the only thing that would ensure her future happiness. "Lets call off the wedding."

Then she pushed past Tonya and headed into the bedroom to prepare packing the other woman's things. Fully aware that she was in for one horribly long and loud night. Especially after she heard Tonya scream her name in a high pitched rage.

\---

"Knock, knock?" asked Dana playfully, her eyes twinkling and lips quirking in that adorable little girl smile that always served to delight Alice.

"Who's there?" replied Alice whose sarcastic nature was unable to stop her from rolling her eyes at the performing this ridiculous age old joke routine. 

"Knock, knock?" asked Dana again, her expression and vocal tones the exact same.

"Who's there?" repeated Alice, frowning slightly.

"Knock, knock?" asked Dana and to Alice, she almost began to resemble a robot due to her expression not altering in the least.

"Who's there?" said Alice very irritably.

Right when Alice was sure Dana would state the same words yet again, Tina's voice somehow entered the scene, speaking over them with an annoyed and mumbled, "Answer the door, Al."

"Wuzzat?" Alice grumbled in bleary tones, pulling her eyes reluctantly open and looking at the lumpy figure of Tina who was buried under the covers with a pillow on her head. Hearing the loud and persistent knock coming from her apartment door, she groaned, and proceeded to follow Tina's suit and buried herself under the blankets. "You answer it, you woke up first."

"This is your apartment," came Tina's muffled reply.

"OUR apartment, roomie," responded Alice who gave into evil impulses and nudged Tina with her left foot, grinning when the blonde shrieked.

"Your feet are freezing! What's your natural body temperature? Below zero?" complained Tina, scooting far enough from Alice that she was almost hanging off the left side of the bed. 

"I'm reptilian," Alice said, giving her version of a nefarious giggle. She was quiet then poking her head from under the blankets, she said cautiously, "The knocking's stopped."

"Good," said Tina in a unhappy mumble. "I want to sleep."

Not three seconds later, the knocking started up again and both women released noises of irritation. "Why won't they go away?" moaned Alice, sounding much like a small child.

"They'll go away if you answer the door," Tina pointed out with blanket muffled logic.

"Fine," Alice gave in and cursing whoever was behind the persistent knocking, she rolled off her bed in a movement that was more a clumsy fall than anything else. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand, she reached for the doorknob and muttered, "This better be good."

Whatever she was going to say next exited Alice's mind on seeing Bette Porter standing in front of her. Blinking at her friend, she stopped rubbing her eyes and said, "Bette. What are you doing here?"

"I want to talk with Tina," said Bette quietly, her expression hesitant and hopeful.

"Right. Of course you do," said Alice with a sigh. Leaning on the doorframe, she questioned, "What if Tina doesn't want to talk to you? And how do you even know Tina's here?"

"I know she's here because this is where I would go if I was in her position," Bette admitted in a bare whisper, the smallest hint of a painful smile showing on her features.

Sighing again, desperately hating this situation and the idea of taking sides between two of her closest friends, Alice glanced back at her bedroom, the door partially open, and then moved her gaze back to Bette. "She's sleeping," admitted Alice who couldn't ignore the elated expression Bette wore upon hearing Tina was on the premises. "I don't want to tell you what to do, Bette. Hell, I don't like telling anyone what to do, including myself. But I do think you should give her space... if she wants to talk to you she'll take that step herself. Give her time."

Happiness immediately fell from Bette's face at these words and Alice would have regretted saying them if she didn't believe they were honestly the best course of action. She began to say just that when Tina's soft voice entered the air. "It's all right, Al," she said as she stepped out of the bedroom, her blonde hair in a tangle and her cotton pajamas rumpled.

"Tina," Bette whispered her name as if it were a prayer and took a timid step forward.

"Don't," said Tina softly yet sharply, holding up a hand. "I know what you're trying to do with this, Bette. I know you mean well but I can't see you right now..." Unable to fight the impulse, hazel eyes darted upwards to gaze at the woman she loved, her heart constricting at the misery she saw there. Knowing she couldn't look at Bette and say the words, Tina instead focused on Alice who after closing the front door perched herself on the arm of her couch, waiting for the sign for her to exit. Instead Tina gave her a silent plea to stay. "I don't like who I am when I'm around you. I don't like what we became, how we stopped communicating so much that we've somehow become totally different people without realizing it." Lifting her gaze to lock with Bette's, her voice trembled with emotion, "It makes me sad. So impossibly sad I can't even begin to explain it." 

"I know, baby," replied Bette in a muted hush, looking like she wanted to step towards Tina but holding herself back. "I feel the same. Just... just tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it. I'll do anything to fix this... no," Bette spat the word out, seeming to curse herself with it. "I can't fix this. I know that." Right in front of Tina and Alice, she came to some sort of realization and the knowledge dawned in her dark eyes as they rested on Tina. "I'll do whatever you need to make you feel better, to help you heal. Just tell me and I promise I'll do it."

"I know you will," Tina murmured, hugging herself for comfort and staring at Alice's chart with a forlorn expression. Ripping her gaze away from the half written name she had put there only a day ago, she said with a quiet strength, "I need you to let me be. To give me space and time so I can figure out how I really feel because right now, I have no idea. I'm too angry at you to know if I can forgive you and every time I see you... the anger comes back and I don't want that. I don't want to be that person with you. Because even though I feel better when I'm yelling at you, calling you names, cursing you, in the end all I feel is bad." She turned to look deeply into Bette's eyes and gave the smallest almost pleading smile. "Do that and I promise when I know how I feel, I'll come to you."

Bette dipped her head in a silent acknowledgement and agreement then turned to let herself out of the apartment. The air remained thick with tension then Tina released the tiniest gasping sob and collapsed onto the floor. Rushing to her side, Alice gathered her friend in her arms and led her back to bed where Tina proceeded to cry herself to sleep with Alice soon following after.

\---

"Knock, knock?" asked Dana playfully, her eyes twinkling and lips quirking in that adorable little girl smile that always served to delight Alice.

"Who's there?" replied Alice only to stop and frown. "Wait," she murmured with confusion, "didn't we already do this?"

"Knock, knock?" asked Dana again, her expression and vocal tones the exact same.

"We did do this!" Alice exclaimed crankily. Vaguely coming into consciousness now, she rolled over and ended up sprawled partially on top of Tina who had woken up only a few seconds before. "Stop tellin' knock knock jokes, Dane," grumbled Alice, in the odd place between sleep and waking. 

"It's the door again," muttered Tina blearily, not really caring that Alice was lying across her stomach since it kept her freakishly cold feet away. "Someone should answer it."

"I answered it last time," reminded Alice, flopping herself over and snuggling underneath the blankets until visually she was nothing more than a lump. "Your turn, roomie."

"You suck," Tina moaned in protest but rose from the bed nonetheless, trying to fix her messy hair as she padded to the front door. Smirking when she heard Alice shout in response, "Only if you're nice!" Pulling the door open and squinting as the dying rays of sunlight shone through the hallway windows and got in her eyes, she blinked at the person before her. "Lara?"

"Tina?" responded Lara, looking just as perplexed. Glancing at the apartment number, then down the hall, and finally back to Tina, she continued, "This is Alice's apartment, right?"

Unable to help herself, Tina laughed and stood to one side, motioning Lara to come in. "Yeah, this is Al's place. You might say I'm a guest on the premises," said Tina, smiling.

"I woke you up," observed Lara, taking in Tina's pajamas and the darkened apartment when the blonde moved to turn on the living room lights. "I'm sorry, I didn't think... I should've called first."

"T? Who's there this time?" Alice called sleepily, rubbing her eyes and bumbling into the living room. She paused in mid eye rub when she noticed it was Lara standing there. "Lara?" she frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"Alice," said Lara, looking and sounding greatly relieved to see the writer, seeming to take special interest in the fact that like Tina she was fully clothed in a pair of pajamas. "I know you're probably surprised to see me but I need to talk to you about Dana."

"What's wrong with Dana?" asked Alice immediately, moving over to Lara, wearing an expression of deep concern. "What happened?"

"Nothing's wrong, well, physically at least," Lara murmured, looking rather sheepish. Sighing quietly, she ran her fingers through her red hair and setting her jaw, met Alice's gaze and decided to just say it. "Dana was in the gym at the club late yesterday night and I ran into her. She wasn't in good shape, Alice. In fact, she was doing pretty terrible. I managed to find out a little about what was wrong when her fiance," Lara grimaced as she said this, "interrupted us."

"And?" Alice demanded impatiently.

Frowning at the blonde's tone but at the same time understanding it, Lara murmured, "Dana's in love with you but for some absurd reason she's convinced herself that she can't be with you." Green eyes glinted in a silent type of warning that Alice saw quite clearly. "I'm not someone who likes interfering in other peoples lives. Especially when it comes to romance but I don't like that woman she's with. She doesn't treat Dana well. But you," Lara released a soft sigh as if she was letting go of something. "You would be good to Dana. I know that and so I decided to interfere and come talk to you." Turning away from Alice, she headed towards the door. "That's all I wanted to say."

"Lara," murmured Alice, her voice holding a question. When the redhead looked back and their eyes met, she knew the answer but voiced the words anyway. "You still love her, don't you?"

Smiling sadly and sweetly, Lara didn't give Alice the answer that she had already found on her own and instead said, "Dana deserves to be happy. You make her happy."

The door shut behind Lara with a subdued click and Alice stood unmoving for a long moment. Watching her friend, Tina questioned softly, "Al? Are you okay?"

"Tell me the truth, T," said Alice, her expression apprehensive and imploring absolute honesty. "If I went to go see Dana now... would it be rushing things? Would I be moving too fast? Because I can't do that, I can't be needy insecure Alice with her. I have to do it right this time and--"

"Shhh, Al," Tina soothed and she moved quickly over to her friend then cupped her face gently. Smiling affectionately, she pushed a stray lock of hair behind Alice's ear and murmured, "Wanting to make sure the person you love is all right isn't rushing anything."

"You're sure?" asked Alice nervously, nibbling on her bottom lip.

"I'm sure," said Tina who now had a smile in her voice.

"Okay," Alice released a loud whoosh of breath. "Okay," she said again, sounding more confident and nodding her head. "I need to change. I need to change then I need to think about what I'm going to say to Dana..." The rest of the conversation she had with herself trailed off when she disappeared into the bedroom and Tina smiled, watching her. Then only mere seconds later, Alice exclaimed in something close to shock, "Damn, T! It's five o'clock! How long did we sleep anyway?"

\---

Taking in the haphazard and random destruction that was left in Tonya's wake during her exit from Dana's life and condo, Shane lifted an eyebrow and said, "I'm strangely impressed."

"Shane," whined Dana, utterly exasperated. Waving her hands expressively about, she said, "Look at this! How is it possible she did all this?! It's like a disaster hit, she made such a fucking mess."

"That's why I'm strangely impressed," drawled Shane who smirked when Dana shot her a dirty look and flicked her off. "Now, now," Shane rumbled in good natured tones, turning a nearby recliner right side up. "Don't be nasty to the hands that are helping you clean."

"I'm sorry," Dana sounded like a petulant child, bending over to pick up random pieces of clothing that had somehow ended up in her living room. "I just hate this."

"What? Having a messy condo?" asked Shane wryly.

"Ha ha," said Dana, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Slinging more clothing over her shoulder, she went on, "I hate this... all this drama. I don't like drama. I'm not smooth like you but I do like things to be simple and things right now are definitely not simple."

"You haven't talked with Al yet, have you?" Shane questioned in soft and knowing tones. She was standing in front of the drapes and wondering exactly how Tonya had gotten them to hang at such a complex diagonal angle. She peered over her shoulder at Dana and saw the tennis player had stopped in her tracks. "Dane? You okay?"

"What am I going to say to her?" asked Dana, looking completely lost. Blue eyes went wide in panic and she said in a rush, "I'm not good at talking, Shane! I mess things up. I always do. What's in my head is never what comes out of my mouth." Gesturing wildly and pacing in a circle much to Shane's amusement, Dana muttered, "This isn't good... no, not good."

"Dane, you need to calm down," advised Shane who went back to cleaning up the condo, now adjusting the drapes. "You talk with Al constantly. Granted, this is a different kind of talk but it's still a talk and it's still a talk with Al." Facing Dana who had paused in her crazed circular pacing, Shane smiled reassuringly. "She hasn't changed. It's just Al and from what it sounds like to me you've been in love with her for awhile."

"Yeah, so?" asked Dana, frowning in confusion.

"Well," Shane sighed and pushed the couch into place, "I don't get the difference. You've been in love with Al and you've talked to her, right? What's changed? Nothing that I can see. Except that now Al loves you back. That should make it easier to talk to her. I mean, the uncertainty is gone."

There was silence and Dana wore an utterly bewildered expression. "You're right," she said in tones that echoed of incredulous disbelief.

"Of course I am," replied Shane, sitting down on the couch in a graceful motion. She observed Dana, quietly searching her features, then said quietly, "Can I ask you a question?"

Snapping out the daze that accompanied the knowledge that Shane had given her good romantic advice, Dana looked to her friend. "Sure," she said easily, shrugging her tan shoulders.

"You've been in love with Al for awhile, right?" Shane began.

"Five years, three months, and seven days," supplied Dana giving a toothy grin. Then she looked rather morose and said, "I could tell you minutes but Tonya broke my stopwatch."

Shane couldn't help but laugh at Dana's meticulous timing of how long she had feelings for Alice. "That's really impressive, Dane," she murmured fondly. "But my question is... how did you manage to hide it for so long? And from nosy ass Al of all people?" 

"It wasn't that hard," Dana shrugged again, gathering an armful of her tennis gear and dumping it in a nearby gym bag. "I was closeted for such a long time that I became more used to hiding things then revealing them, I guess. Plus I'm not exactly the bravest person around. I found it easier to keep my feelings to myself because I was safe that way." Groaning now, Dana shook her head and arranged her kitchen table to face the proper direction. "Which is why I'm worried."

There wasn't a verbal response from her friend but Dana looked up and saw the inquisitive expression on Shane's defined features. Releasing an unhappy sigh, Dana sat down in the recliner across from the hairdresser. "Al's sweet... she puts herself out there, you know? She's so honest and I just worry that since I'm not used to talking... to telling the truth about my feelings that I might end up hurting her. That I'll push her away because that's all I know how to do."

"Maybe," said Shane in soft agreement. They sat in compatible silence then she formed a lopsided smile and said, "But I think Al would say she's got the right to take that risk if she wants, don't you?"

"Yeah, she would," Dana chuckled, picturing in her minds eye an irate Alice ranting about being denied the right to make her own decisions. She looked away from Shane and her blue eyes clouded over then she said quietly, "That's probably what she was saying with that song. I think she was trying to talk to me with it... because I wouldn't let her before."

Frowning at seeing Dana go back into a slight depression, Shane tilted her head and asked, "How good is Al anyway? With playing music, I mean. You never said."

"She's wonderful," said Dana who was immediately wistful as she recalled how Alice looked while performing. "I love it when she's like that."

"Like what?" asked Shane, curious though part of her knew it wasn't the brightest idea to be asking Dana this type of thing. For some reason, she just knew she'd regret asking this question.

"Forceful," Dana sighed dreamily.

Not one second passed when Dana turned bright red and darted an embarrassed gaze over to Shane who sat looking somewhat dazed at Dana's response. Then she recovered and formed her patented knowing smirk while she drawled, "I always thought you were secretly femme."

Much like Tina before her, Shane soon found herself bombarded by an onslaught of pillows by way of retaliation. And much like Tina, she found that she didn't really mind.

\---

An hour later, Shane left Dana's condo which thankfully no longer looked as if a natural disaster had struck it. Wandering to her truck, she stopped in her tracks upon seeing a familiar mini with a more familiar driver sitting in the parking lot. Shane smirked upon thinking of Dana's fondness for forceful Alice who didn't seem to be making an appearance as the blonde stared nervously at the building, not even seeing Shane's approach until she banged on the window.

"Jesus, Shane!" exclaimed Alice, a hand over her heart. Grimacing when the brunette pressed her face against her window to create a smushed expression. "Quit being such a freak," she muttered, rolling the window down and in seconds she found her face centimeters from Shane's. "Can I help you with anything?" Alice asked sarcastically. "Like signing you up for personal space lessons?"

"Aw, be nice, Al," Shane rumbled, wearing the trademark sexy smile that caused hundreds of women to jump into her bed. "I'm just excited at seeing a rock star this up close in person."

"Ugh, fuck me," groaned Alice who rested her head against the steering wheel of the mini with a loud thump. "Dana told you about that, huh?"

"I hear it's quite the sight to see," drawled Shane, smirking.

"Yeah, well... don't hold your breath for an encore performance anytime soon, okay?" remarked Alice, seeming aggrieved that her secret as it were was now out. Looking away from Shane, she returned to her previous position of staring at Dana's condo. "How is she?" Alice questioned. 

Leaning comfortably against Alice's mini, folding her arms across her chest, Shane replied, "Why don't you go see for yourself? I can say pretty safely she'd like it if you did, Al."

"You sure?" asked Alice nervously, nibbling on her lip in the same fretful gesture she had used with Tina earlier. "I get this feeling like I'm stalking her or something. I keep going to her and I'm thinking maybe I should stop and just let her come to me. I don't know," Alice groaned loudly, thumping her head against the steering wheel. "I hate this," she finally announced. "Indecision sucks."

It looked like forceful Alice wouldn't be coming out to play, thought Shane smiling to herself. "How long have you been here?" she asked, honestly curious to hear the answer. Knowing that unlike her previous question with Dana it wouldn't be something to regret later.

"Forty five minutes and counting," Alice moaned pitifully, popping one brown eye open to peer at a highly amused Shane. "Shut up," she muttered. "This is harder than I thought it would be."

"What?" Shane asked innocently, holding up her hands in a placating movement. "Don't get pissed at me because I don't see Dana as being that damn scary," she finished with a smirk.

"Yeah? Well, I don't see what you find funny about this," retorted Alice, scowling.

"Oh, I don't know," Shane's voice was a low and affectionate burr, walking backwards away from Alice. A playful grin tugged at her lips and her eyes twinkled as she said impishly, "Maybe it's the fact that Fairbanks has made you act so fucking cute."

Scowling even more heavily, Alice watched Shane walk to her truck and groused, "Stupid nipple confidence. I really do hate her sometimes." Her gaze returned to Dana's condo and taking a deep breath, she murmured, "I can do this." Her hand hovered on the door to her mini and she repeated loudly with an exaggerated sense of bravado, "I can do this!" Pushing the door open and slowly stepping out of her car, she groaned miserably. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this."

Watching from several feet away, Shane turned the key in her truck's ignition, smiled slowly and chuckled. "So fucking cute," she repeated, shaking her head then driving off.

\---

Neater but not neat as it could be, mused Dana looking around with a scrupulous gaze. Cursing the anal retentive nature that she was sure she'd gotten from watching her mother needle various maids, Dana sank into her recliner and decided to just stare at the walls.

Who could have guessed Tonya was that destructive? She didn't look like she had it in her. Dana thought with a wry smile. Then again, Alice didn't look like the type who could knock someone out but Dana had witnessed for herself that the blonde could do just that. Laughing quietly, she leaned back, closed her eyes, and recalled that first momentous trip to Milk. 

"The movies! We can go to the movies!" exclaimed Dana, her voice high pitched with false excitement, tugging on Alice's arm as the blonde continued to pull Dana down the street. "Don't you think the movies are good? Good with the dark and the buttered popcorn."

"I don't want to go to the movies," Alice rolled her eyes. Laughter evident in her voice, she turned to look at her friend whom she kept pulling gently along. "And why are you so nervous? You've been to Milk before. That's where you picked up Melanie, isn't it?"

"Yes, but..." Dana bit her bottom lip then darting her eyes around, she held onto the sleeve to Alice's shirt. When Alice raised an eyebrow and leaned closer, she whispered, "I never stay for very long."

"Okay," said Alice slowly, "how long is not very long?"

"I stayed the longest that time I ran into Melanie," said Dana hesitantly, reluctant to go on.

"And that was how long?" Alice drew the words out.

Purposefully keeping her gaze from the blonde's, Dana answered with more than a bit of embarrassment, "I don't know. Five minutes maybe?"

"Five minutes," repeated Alice, trying and failing to keep a highly amused smile from forming on her features. "You're kidding me. What did you do? Stand in the doorway then turn and run out?" When Dana blushed, Alice laughed before she could stop herself. "Oh god, you did do that."

"Al! This isn't funny," whined Dana, stomping her feet. "I get freaked out soon as I go in because I think people are looking at me, which of course they are, because people look when you come into someplace, right? I don't know if I'm ready," she confessed. "What if someone talks?"

"Dane, I'm telling you that it's not a big deal," Alice did her best to reassure the brunette, reaching down to hold her hands. "You're like... an open secret. People know but they're not going to say shit. I promise you."

"Are you sure?" asked Dana anxiously, her blue eyes wide and pleading for honesty. Turning her gaze away from Alice, she said quietly, "It's not that I don't want to go. I think it would be fun to go inside a gay club for more than five minutes but I can't... I can't come out, Al. My family would never understand and my agent, Conrad, he said--"

"Your agent is an asshole," interrupted Alice almost venomously. When Dana stared at her goggle eyed, she sighed and said, "I'm sorry. I don't like him. He's not nice to you. Look, if you feel weird and you think people are taking night vision pictures of you for the tabloids or something, we'll go." Putting a solemn hand over her heart, Alice met Dana's nervous gaze. "I, Alice Pieszecki, hereby swear to obey Dana Fairbanks every word tonight." Flashing an infectious smile, Alice held Dana's hands and walking backwards now, she swung them cheerfully side to side. "See? Now you own me baby," she drawled in a horribly bad British accent. "Lock, stock, and barrel. You're in charge."

"I'm in charge, huh?" Dana lifted an eyebrow and looked entirely skeptical. "So if I said that I'd rather go see The Matrix you would come with me and not complain?"

"I would go, yes," replied Alice, rolling her eyes again at Dana bringing up the movies. "But I'm not promising anything when it comes to the complaining part. I've heard weird things about that movie and the idea of people hanging in midair creeps me out."

"Why does it creep you out?" Dana couldn't stop from asking, laughing at the strange expression of disgust that Alice wore. "It's only a movie."

"People hanging in the midair is something out of a bad drug trip," Alice shuddered on just thinking about it. "I've had enough of those on my own so I sure don't need to go paying for ridiculously high priced tickets to see it in a theater. Plus Keanu Reeves sounds brain dead when he talks."

"True," said Dana in agreement. Alice had let go of Dana's hands, most likely because of the tennis player's closeted status as mentioned earlier, and missing the feeling, she shoved her hands into the pockets of her pants in attempt to ignore that. Giving the blonde a curious look, she asked, "You've had bad drug trips? From what?"

"Pot mostly," said Alice with an easy shrug. Meeting blue eyes, her lips quirked into a grin and bumping their shoulders, she said teasingly, "You've never done anything, have you?" When Dana turned red and darted her eyes away, Alice laughed in delight. "You're so straight laced! I love it," she declared, giving her friend an affectionate one armed hug around the waist as they walked. When Dana didn't reply and simply turned a darker shade of red, Alice felt a little guilty. "Oh, Dane, don't worry," Alice soothed. "It's really cute that you haven't done anything. Honest, it is."

"Maybe I don't want to be cute," muttered Dana peevishly. 

"Hmm," Alice frowned thoughtfully. Snapping her fingers, she continued, "What if I say it's only logical? You being a professional athlete and all." When Dana looked at her like she was insane, Alice gave into the urge and rolled her eyes yet again. "Drug testing. They still do that, right?"

"Oh yeah," said Dana dimly, her face soon lighting up as she realized she did indeed have a noncute reason for not trying drugs. "That's mostly for performance enhancers though."

"It still works," replied Alice with a shrug. "That reminds me," wearing an almost evil expression, she scooted closer to Dana as they walked. "I have this article idea about female athletes and steroids. Do you have any stories to tell? Not about you, of course, because hello! Not manly. But maybe other people? There's all these horror stories and I'm wondering how true they actually are."

Trying to sort out the combined feeling of being flattered yet somewhat insulted, Dana groaned quietly. "No way, Al," she said adamantly. "I can't talk about that sort of stuff. If I did then it would just encourage people to... you know..." When Alice looked at her blankly, she gestured wildly between the two of them. "You know!" she exclaimed irritably.

"Ohh, the gay thing," Alice murmured, nodding. "Right. I getcha."

Just as Dana started to make a smart ass response to Alice's 'gay thing' comment, she noticed exactly where they were and staring at the entrance to Milk, she swallowed nervously and shifted her weight from foot to foot. Observing this, Alice reached down to touch her hand and Dana stared wide eyed at the blonde who was sure the tennis player might faint any minute.

"Hey," whispered Alice, tilting her head forward so Dana was looking at her and not the entrance to the club. "I meant what I said. You're in charge. We don't have to go in if you don't want. I'd prefer not to see drug trippy midair movie hanging but there are other things we can do. There's this band playing down on Sunset that I've been wanting to check out..."

"I want to go in," said Dana in soft yet strong tones.

"You sure?" asked Alice, looking worried.

"I'm sure," Dana nodded and took Alice's hand in her own.

Gazing at the brunette for another moment as if for personal confirmation, Alice dipped her head then squeezed Dana's hand tenderly and pulled her inside Milk. Though she had been inside the club before it was as Alice guessed, just a few inches away from the front door. She had never gotten any further, which meant she never got the chance to take a good look at the surroundings. The club was flashy and it was loud and it was a little glamorous.

And Dana was none of those things.

Though it seemed Alice was in her element, the blonde was easily weaving through the throng of women, waving and talking to some as she passed until they arrived at the bar. She turned to face Dana, leaning against it and forming a huge smile. Pausing to come to an internal decision and pulling Dana slowly towards her by hooking her thumbs into the belt loops of the tennis player's pants, making them only inches apart.

"You look like you could use a drink," Alice remarked dryly, lifting an eyebrow. "Do you want me to get you a drink? A strong drink? One that might help you develop amnesia in the morning?"

"That would be good," agreed Dana, glancing around the club and wondering if anyone had recognized her yet. "Drinking helps me... I don't know... not be me?"

"I'm not sure that's a good thing, honey," said Alice with sardonic humor. When Dana faced her wearing a confused expression, she explained, "Being yourself is kind of key to meeting someone, right? Who else are you going to be?"

"You brought me here to meet someone?" asked Dana who sounded and now looked completely panicked. "Because I'm not ready to meet someone. Meet meet as in dating and--"

"Dane, hey," Alice cut in gently, moving forward to clasp the brunette's hands which stopped her babbling speech. "I didn't bring you here to meet anyone. I just thought you might, that's all. We're here to have fun, that's it. The second you're not having fun you tell me and we're gone, okay?"

"Okay," said Dana nodding her head aggressively and releasing a nervous breath of air. "I'm being a geek, aren't I?" Her face heated up from humiliation. "I'm sorry, Al. I don't mean to be."

Alice wore a veiled expression then smiling softly, she tucked a stray lock of brown hair behind Dana's ear. "No worries," she announced, her dark eyes gleaming. "I promise a good time." Her hand fell to cup Dana's cheek and she said, "I'm going to get us some drinks, all right? I'll be a second."

Deciding that it was her turn to roll her eyes, Dana flicked Alice's nose lightly with her index finger. "You don't have to treat me like a kid. First time in a gay club for more than five minutes or not I can manage to be alone without having a total anxiety attack."

"Of course you can... a total one, at least. My bad," chuckled Alice, moving away from Dana and towards the nearest available bartender to order their drinks. 

Not a minute passed when Dana suddenly found herself facing a very svelte blonde wearing an overtly seductive expression. "Hello," Dana managed to squeak the words out.

"Hello yourself," the blonde drawled presenting a perfectly manicured hand which Dana shook awkwardly, not getting the hint she that was meant to kiss the top of it. "I'm Nadia Meirtschin and you would be Dana Fairbanks, wouldn't you?"

"I would," Dana squeaked again, trying to look around Nadia for a sign of Alice but not spotting anything. It figured as soon as she attempted to act cool around her friend something like this would happen and instantly reassert her permanent geek status. 

"You're looking anxious to depart," purred Nadia who magically appeared in front of Dana, her lips curving into a sly smile. "I'd love for you to come with me," she finished putting special emphasis on her double entendre which stupefied Dana. This worked to Nadia's advantage and she moved in for the kill, lightly tilting Dana's head for a kiss. "Don't worry," she said in what was meant to be soothing tones but only served to make the brunette more anxious. "I can keep a secret."

"Secrets... venereal diseases... you keep and can't quite get rid of them, isn't that right Nadia girl?" Alice's voice rang out loudly and the smaller blonde easily pushed in between them, facing Dana as if to make sure her interruption was wanted. The look of immense relief her friend wore told Alice all she needed to know. Handing Dana her drink, she turned to face Nadia wearing a droll expression. "You're still here," she stated with an air of disinterest. "Why are you still here?" Giving a dismissive wave, Alice declared, "Shoo! Begone! And something else fancy that means get lost!"

Nadia's eyes narrowed maliciously and she hissed, "That's fine. A worthless fucking excuse for a closeted tennis dyke isn't worth my talents or time anyway."

Tears and a muted sob.

That was the only thing that registered with Alice, that and the fact that Nadia caused both of those reactions in Dana. And that the woman had effectively ruined what she had planned on being a very good night for her friend. A night that Alice hoped would help Dana feel more comfortable in her own skin, putting her on the slow but sure road to one day coming out.

Then Nadia Meirtschin had to go and fuck it all up.

Which really pissed Alice off and when Alice was pissed off she tended to not think all that clearly. Actually, she tended not to think at all. She simply acted. Which was why she grabbed Nadia's arm, yanked her around, demanding that she repeat what she just said and when the other woman went ahead and did just that is when Alice acted.

Acted in the form of delivering a fairly impressive right hook and sending the tall blonde stumbling backwards into a sea of women, most of whom were impressed with Alice's display. Even Alice seemed impressed with herself. At least she was until her hand started throbbing enough to make her wonder if Nadia's jaw was made out of bricks.

During the ensuing chaos that included Nadia shrieking that the cops be called was when Dana grabbed Alice's throbbing hand in her own and did what she did best. Exit the club unseen. As she pulled Alice along, vaguely listening to the blonde rant about Nadia daring to say anything to Dana again, did she think on just what Alice had done.

She had defended her... stood up for her... for her, Dana Fairbanks, who was exactly what Nadia had said she was only she preferred using nicer terms. Like closeted lesbian tennis player. That sounded better somehow. But regardless of how you worded it, that was Dana and before now no one had ever defended who Dana was when they knew, as Alice did, the truth about her as a person. 

"Wait and see if I ever write about her stupid shop in LA Magazine again," scoffed Alice, waving her hands wildly about, still in the throws of her rant against Nadia. "She's such a bitch! I'm not going to forget about this, Dane! I just won't! She went too far with her skeevy ways this time..." Alice trailed off and brown eyes were now as large as saucers. "Oh god," the words fell past her lips in muted horror, appearing as if she had just arrived at some horrible understanding. "Dana," Alice barely got her name out. "I'm so sorry."

"Al?" asked Dana, frowning in concern and taking a step towards her friend who backed away. Forming a hurt look at this, her voice wavered, "Al? What is it?"

"Shit!" Alice cursed and hitting her forehead, she walked quickly down the street, leaving Dana standing in shock before she snapped out of it and chased after her. "Shit, shit!"

"Al, please stop! Tell me what's wrong," demanded Dana in a tearful cry that got Alice's attention and made her pause so abruptly in her walk that Dana slammed into her back. 

Feeling the brunette's hot breath and the burn of tears on her neck, Alice clenched her jaw and muttered sounding quietly disgusted, "It's okay, Dane. I'll drop you off at your place, all right? Then you don't have to see me again. I'll lose your number, I promise," she said this in such a hushed murmur that Dana had to strain to hear the words.

"Why?" Dana's voice shook and losing her energy, she simply let her head fall to rest on Alice's shoulder. "I don't understand. Is it because I freaked out when she hit on me? I thought..."

"God, no!" cried Alice, sounding thoroughly panicked and she whirled around to face the brunette. Seeing wounded blue eyes filled with unshed tears, she cursed herself again. "I suck," Alice groaned, hitting her forehead with the palm of the hand used to punch Nadia. Seconds later, she yelped in pain and waving the hand, she grimaced and looked helplessly at Dana. "I'll fix it, okay? I don't know how but I'll fix it and make sure that Nadia," Alice somehow managed to say the name though it looked like she wanted to spit as she did so, "keeps her mouth shut. I just... I got angry, Dane. I don't think when I get angry and now I made this huge mess for you because I don't think."

Dana formed a surprised 'o' as she at last realized why Alice had been ranting and cursing at herself. The very thing that Nadia had used to insult Dana in the first place. Her closeted status and looking at her friend, who was continuing to berate herself while muttering various ideas about how to pacify Nadia, she realized something else.

Though not the most ideal way to be outed, it certainly did come from one of the strangely happier moments in her life. Simply because Alice did what she did to defend her and to Dana there wasn't anything more wonderful than that.

Sure that no matter what might occur she could never be truly angry with Alice for her actions, Dana smiled softly and took a step forward. Resting her index finger lightly over the blonde's lips to stop her inane babble and when brown eyes peered up at her in confusion, she chuckled. Their foreheads met and Dana murmured, "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"But what if--" Alice protested only to be shushed by Dana.

"I said that it's fine, Al," reassured Dana with a smile. She dropped her gaze shyly and said, "I love that you did that for me. I mean, no one has ever..." Awkwardly meeting Alice's eyes before turning away again, she repeated in a quiet but strong emphasis, "Nothing will change that, I promise." 

Absorbing Dana's words, Alice sighed then gave a slight nod. Seeming suddenly exhausted she rested against her friend and gratefully fell into the hug extended to her. "Yeah, well, I'm still sorry for what I did," Alice mumbled, "but she just made me so mad."

"I kind of figured," replied Dana, chuckling and depositing a brief kiss on top of Alice's head of messy blonde hair. "I'm not a big fan of violence but I must say you pack quite the punch."

"Because I float like the rainbow butterfly and sting like many allergy causing bees," came Alice's muffled reply, burying her head in the crook of Dana's neck and wondering at her sudden lethargy. 

"That sounds impressive," Dana noted in dry humor.

Choosing not to respond, Alice instead burrowed further into Dana's warm embrace and they remained like that, standing on a mostly empty sidewalk not caring, knowing, or thinking that this far more than any punch Alice threw would send an obvious message on Dana's romantic preferences.

Though she didn't know it at the time, that was the night Dana fell in love with Alice. How couldn't she? Dana adored romance and there was something undeniably romantic in Alice's fierce reaction to Nadia. Of course, they were actions that would end up costing the blonde in later years.

Nadia had come to the conclusion it was better not to involve the cops so she could milk, hah, the situation for all the available drama and put herself as the victim. Her not so subtle way of sticking it to Dana for that initial meeting and rejection was to pretend from that day forward to never recall just who she was. Something that annoyed the hell out of Dana but she could easily deal with. Alice, however, ended up paying a more significant price for the slight given to Nadia.

Love Alice as she did, Dana had to admit that her friend made horrendous choices in women and a good amount of men as well. Nothing made that clearer than her relationship with Gabby Deveaux. The woman consistently treated Alice like worse than shit and Alice continued to take her back. Nadia played into the scenario in the worst way because each and every time Alice would go back to Gabby it was Nadia who would worm her way into the situation by starting up their mindless on/again off/again affair simply to hurt Alice with it in the process. And it worked. 

Every single fucking time.

Alice and her relationship with Gabby was a large reason why Dana hated herself for keeping her feelings quiet. Because maybe if she spoke up, maybe if she told Alice how she felt, then it would finally be over between them and Alice wouldn't ever have to be treated like that again. It killed Dana to see how Gabby dismissed Alice, ignored everything good about her and pointed out the meaningless flaws that were nothing compared to Gabby's own twisted issues.

It killed her because she let it go on by staying silent.

No more though. That trend was finally over and done with. Tonya was gone now and she was ready... she was finally ready to take that last big risk. The one that gave away her heart and soul, all that she was, to a singular and very special person.

First Dana had to change her clothes.

Because, honestly, who goes and confesses their love in a pair of old blue jeans and a t-shirt that said Friskies Cat Food on it? Someone somewhere probably would but Dana knew that person wasn't about to be her. Which was why she was rising from the recliner and heading for her bedroom when the doorbell rang several times in rapid and irritating succession.

Scowling and positive Shane had returned out of some perverse need to harass her via insistent teasing, Dana yanked the door open only to gape at the sight of Alice. Locking eyes, both women flashed to the last time they were in these positions and several breathless moments passed as they recalled the kisses in great detail. Then Alice tore her brown eyes from Dana's sea of blue and nibbled on her lip in a way that left the brunette utterly transfixed.

"Al," said Dana hoarsely, nervously swallowing the lump in her throat and mentally reciting the speech she gave a million times in her head but never once managed to say aloud. "Come in."

"That's okay," said Alice in a whisper, darting her eyes up to meet Dana's only to then avoid them. "Here is fine. I just need to tell you something and then I promise I'll go." She paused to release a loud whoosh of air and flashing an overly bright smile, Alice looked at Dana with a steady gaze. "I don't know if you ever noticed but I have this tendency to rush things when it comes to relationships. I try to make everything happen as fast as it possibly can, including making whatever person I'm with fall in love with me." Giving a caustic laugh, Alice rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Thing is, it never works out that well. I scare people off and it's really not good. I don't want to do that with you, Dane. You..." Alice sighed in frustration and then said in a bare hush, "You're too important for me to be my usual clingy, needy, insecure freak of a self. So I'm just here to tell you I'm going to back off now and if you want to be with me, fine... great... wahoo!" exclaimed Alice, her laugh an anxious twitter as she clapped her hands. "If not, ouch... but okay. I can deal. So that's that. And here's me going," Alice finished her speech and walked backwards, hooking her thumb in a gesture towards her mini.

Going? Thought Dana in shock. She was going after saying all that? How could she be going? Wait, how could SHE be letting Alice be going? She shouldn't be going! She should be staying!

And with that agitated and confusing myriad of thoughts reverberating in her mind, Dana took two large and rather athletic steps forward to clasp Alice's hand, effectively ending her retreat. "Don't go," Dana murmured. Her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton and she wondered desperately how she was ever going to find the right words to explain how she felt.

Then she realized she didn't need words, not for what she wanted to show anyway. Because when it came to Dana and words, especially in regards to words of love, they always got fumbled and served to complicate her very uncomplicated message that was simply Dana loves Alice.

"Joanie loves Chachi," Dana snickered, unable to stop from making the lame joke which, again, only complicated her message and made Alice stare at her as if she was insane. "God," she muttered miserably. "I'm messing this up already. I don't mean to, Al. I don't!"

"Dane?" asked Alice in utmost confusion though part of her was encouraged by the tennis player's odd behavior. "What's going on?"

Lifting her head and unconsciously mimicking Alice by nibbling on her bottom lip, Dana decided to do as Alice did on the night that Dana fell in love with her. She decided to act. And so, she gripped the other woman, soft but strong, pulling her forward and meeting their lips for the first kiss of her own volition. Pouring everything she was into it, trying to show Alice with every nuance how very much Dana loved her. When the blonde opened her mouth, inviting entrance, Dana immediately deepened the embrace and swept her tongue inside. Eagerly tasting what was offered and pressing closer yet, as close as she possibly could, to Alice while doing so. But nothing could be close enough short of actually having sex, Dana reasoned, and the couple went stumbling halfway down the stairs to her condo and noticing the loss in balance, Dana wrapped a steady arm around Alice's waist while the other caught hold of the knob to her front door. This kept them from tumbling down the stairs but also caused them to swing partially to and fro. Finally, their lips separated with gasps from them both and Alice buried her face in the crook of Dana's neck to then begin giggling uncontrollably, causing Dana to then follow suit.

"I'm such a geek," Dana groaned, thumping her head against the front door that they were now leaning up against. "I try to be smooth and we nearly fall down the stairs killing ourselves for it. Shows how good I am at this..."

"I think you're good," said Alice using what Dana had once called her pervert voice. Wiggling her eyebrows in that weird way that made Dana laugh, she finished, "Really, really, good."

"Dork," accused Dana and Alice shrugged happily, not appearing to care if she was acting dorky or not she was so pleased with their current situation. Pausing as she realized that although she was horrible with them, she did have some fairly important words to say, Dana cleared her throat. "Al," she murmured soberly, holding dark brown eyes in a comforting gaze. "You could never rush me. I love you..." Dana couldn't keep from laughing joyfully at the suddenly light feeling in her heart then continued on, "I've always loved you, I was just too scared to tell you." Reaching down to hold Alice's hands and cover them with ardent kisses, she said, "Tonya's gone. I broke up with her last night. The engagement's off, the wedding is through, and my condo was... well, it sort of still is, a huge mess. But that doesn't matter because..." Dana trailed off and finally gave into her gayest instincts and waved her hands expressively about. "Because look at us! Us, Al, us!" she exclaimed, laughing and exuberantly sweeping Alice up in her arms to kiss her thoroughly.

When they parted, Alice slid down Dana's body in a slow sensual motion and softly breathless moans filled the air as the blonde, held safely aloft in strong yet gentle arms, cupped Dana's face in a gesture that for them would always be hers alone. "You're right," said Alice as she smiled sweetly. Then leaning down to capture the lips below hers, echoing before doing so, "Look at us."

\---

A week had passed since the seven p.m. kiss, as Dana had dubbed it, and in that week Alice and Dana had shifted into couple mode so easily that their friends wondered if perhaps they had been dating all along and simply had not told anyone. This theory would have been more feasible if it wasn't for the fact that in the past week the total amount of time Alice and Dana were seen by their friends came to be a little over two hours and nine minutes. Something made more significant when you considered that Tina was currently living with Alice in a fairly snug two bedroom apartment.

Knowing that retreating into extreme cutesy couple seclusion was one of the first signs for a shiny new lesbian relationship, it could hardly be believed that Alice and Dana had been carrying on some sort of secret affair under everyone's noses. That still didn't make it any less disconcerting how they already acted like an old married couple.

Despite the total seclusion, cutesy behavior, and acting like old married people trend, Alice was deliriously happy and determined to remain that way. Which was why she kept a close mental eye on herself to reign in her natural jealous tendencies and the underlining insecurities she had in every romantic relationship. And thus far, it had been working, much to her immense pleasure and pride.

Standing on her tiptoes to grab various items of dinnerware to ready the kitchen for Dana's return with their late lunch, Alice did a little dance. Smiling and singing along to the music. She had loaned the cd that was playing to Dana several months ago but always forgot to ask for it back and upon discovering it, Alice couldn't resist the sudden urge to pop it in and give it a listen.

"I had your name in my head with Mrs on it," Alice sang as she smiled brightly and set the plates down on the table, performing a nimble spin and heading back into the kitchen. "You had no clue what mine was but did not care. I came looking for the mate of my soul," Alice laughed at this lyric while singing and rolling her eyes, she rifled through Dana's silverware drawer in a hasty manner that she knew would later cause the super neat brunette to chastise her. "You were out looking for someone just for the night."

Holding up two forks in an peculiar gesture of triumph, Alice bumped the drawer shut with her bottom and sang smiling, "So here I go again, dirty girl, lay me down. Pleased to meet you." Putting the forks in place, Alice acted out a pair of exaggerated hellos even going so far to bow and shake the hand of the imaginary person in front of her. "There you go, now you know a dirty girl. Pleased to leave me." She spun on her heel to head back into the kitchen, waving her hands to go perfectly with the accompanying lyrics. "Oh, don't say goodbye... oh, don't say goodbye."

"Oh no, no, no, no," Alice shook her head mournfully, imitating tears and a soon to be nervous breakdown. "I fell asleep to the sound of your heart beating. But I woke up when you asked me to please leave. You said nothing personal, it's impossible," sang Alice, reaching for a matching pair of cheesy gay pride glasses. "You can't fall asleep with a girl you don't know... well," Alice drawled and opened up the refrigerator to peer inside in a elusive hope of finding something nonhealthy she'd enjoy drinking. "Ah hell."

Right as she sang those words was when Dana opened the front door to her condo and walked inside. The tennis player automatically started to call out her version of the cliched 'honey I'm home' greeting only to pause at the familiar sound of Alice singing. 

"Here I go again, dirty girl, lay me down. Pleased to meet you..." 

Poking her head up to peer through the banister that led to the upstairs portion of her condo, Dana grinned at the sight of Alice play acting the lyrics. "There you go, now you know a dirty girl. Pleased to leave," the blonde sang happily and she turned to walk into the kitchen only to come right back with napkins in hand. "You always say goodbye. Why do they always say goodbye?"

"Walking home, four a.m., once again..." Alice put the napkins on the table, carefully arranging them while a secretive smile formed on her face and with it, Dana knew she was thinking of their first kiss. She then spun around to kick a foot backwards in the air and walking back into the kitchen, Alice was still singing along when she declared exuberantly, "Shit!"

"Here I go again, dirty girl, lay me down. Pleased to meet you," Alice returned, singing and holding the glasses that Dana had gotten at the last gay pride in her hands. They were filled with what looked like the tennis player's favorite drink, grape juice. "There you go, now you know a dirty girl. Pleased to leave." Backing away and tilting her head in a subtle inspection of the set table, Alice continued, "You always say goodbye. Why do they always say goodbye?"

The song was pretty much over but Dana remained hidden simply because she couldn't honestly recall ever seeing Alice act this adorable and hated for it to come an end. Watching Alice perform a jig walking back into the kitchen, Dana sprang into action. Running up the stairs three steps at a time, her long legs easily propelling forward, Dana quietly placed the bags of food on the table then came to an abrupt yet somehow silent halt directly behind Alice who wasn't aware of her presence.

"I'm walking in the rain," hummed Alice, half heartedly singing the fading end lyrics of song as she rummaged through Dana's silverware drawer in an attempt to make it resemble what it was before her interference. "With my shoes in my hands. I feel stupid and..."

Suddenly, she felt strong arms wrap around her waist and Alice found herself lifted off the ground while velvet lips pressed against the back of her neck. "Dana!" she yelped in an unusual combination of shock and delight.

"That's me," murmured Dana, nuzzling Alice's neck, a smile in her voice and she lowered the other woman delicately to the ground so she could stand on her own again.

"Of course it's you," Alice drawled and rolling her eyes, she faced Dana. Quirking an eyebrow humorously as she continued, "Who else would scare the hell out of me in your condo while I'm getting ready for lunch? The Easter Bunny? Santa? The Toothfairy?"

"When I was little I was scared of the Toothfairy," said Dana absently, frowning as she moved around Alice to fix the silverware drawer. 

Upon seeing the disarray her drawer was in, Dana released an immediate sigh. The knives were where the spoons should be and somehow Alice had located her long lost spork only to put it with the fancy salad forks that were a present from her aunt. Whatever irritation Dana felt at having her silverware drawer in a state of chaos evaporated at the press of Alice's warm body against her own and loving arms holding her close.

"Why were you scared of the Toothfairy?" asked Alice, affectionate humor laced her words. Pushing Dana's hair aside, she brushed her lips lightly over the brunette's pulse point, smiling at both feeling and hearing Dana gasp at this action.

Fiddling with the random spork and trying to recall its proper place in the silverware drawer, Dana replied in throaty tones, "I don't know... just the idea of the Toothfairy was scary to me. This strange creature flies in your house without you being able to stop it and its main focus in life is collecting the teeth of children." Shuddering, she recalled the nightmares she had as a child and went on, "I always pictured it having... I don't know... an alter of teeth. The Toothfairy is creepy, Al."

"You probably didn't like going to the dentist either, right?" observed Alice, nudging Dana. "I hated the dentist. Mostly because every time I went I had what seemed like countless cavities and they all got filled at once." Grimacing now, she muttered, "God that sucked."

"Why did you have to get them filled at the same time?" asked Dana in confusion. Pulling distant memories from her childhood, she remembered that if she had more than one cavity she went for multiple visits. A visit for a cavity, her mother said. Dana was sure this was to make her find the dentist less torturous and it had worked to an extent. She couldn't help but grimace along with Alice at the idea of what multiple cavities being filled must have been like for her as a small child.

Shrugging lightly, Alice rested her head on Dana's shoulder, her arms were around the tennis player's waist as her fingers lazily traced the flat skin of Dana's stomach. "Didn't have much of a choice," she revealed quietly. "I used to see doctors regularly when I was with my dad but then he died and my mom was busy in those days. With her TV show and then some movies. She didn't have time for that sort of thing so I only saw doctors when I was actually sick." Alice paused and her arms tightened imperceptibly, making Dana cover pale hands with her own as she leaned back into the embrace. "That meant I didn't go to the dentist until my teeth hurt and that usually equaled a whole lot of cavities. The time thing being a constant factor, they had to get filled all at once."

Effortlessly turning in Alice's arms, Dana caressed her face and tucked back errant strands of hair then smiled tenderly when the blonde leaned into her touch. "That must have hurt," she murmured in heartfelt tones, speaking of not only the event but the reasons behind it. 

Dana couldn't imagine what Alice's childhood must have been like... first her parents divorce when she was six years old, then her father dying when she was eight, and finally going to live with her mother who didn't even have time enough to schedule regular doctors appointments. No matter how much Dana's family grated her nerves she couldn't deny the fact that they honestly did love her. They supported her and they made time for her. While their words about her 'lifestyle' were harsh their actions were as kind as always. Calling to make sure she was all right, congratulating her on her newest endorsement deals, and just wanting to know what was going on in her life. Lenore was a sharp contrast. She showered Alice with words and embarrassing stories to prove her acceptance and love for her daughter but her actions said differently. The only time she contacted Alice was when she needed something. A habit that her oldest children, Nelson and Jolene, also shared.

Their families were both headaches but Dana couldn't help thinking that although she complained longer and louder about hers, she had gotten the better deal between them. Because Dana knew, no matter how her family treated the issue of her sexuality, they would be there when she really needed them. While it seemed Alice couldn't honestly say the same.

"Yeah," Alice breathed the word more than said it, giving a subdued admission to Dana and burying herself into the tennis player's arms as is if to hide from her vulnerability. They remained like that for several moments then Alice asked, "What did you get for lunch?"

Smiling softly and taking the hint to move onto something less depressing, Dana drawled, "Nothing special. Just your most favorite food ever. I believe it received the highest praise on a certain writer's best of cheap and good meals to eat in LA list."

"Pink's chili cheese dogs and seasoned fries!" whooped Alice, squirming out of Dana's arms and running to the kitchen table. Dana shook her head in fond affection then followed after her girlfriend. She didn't understand Alice's love for the greasy food but it made her happy and that was enough to make Dana like it as well. When she walked in, Alice flashed her thousand watt smile and Dana's heart fluttered at the sight. "You got me unhealthy food," she crooned and took a slow step forward. Winding her hands around Dana's neck, fingers toying with the soft hairs, their lips were just a breath apart. She spoke in soft sincere tones that, to Dana, spoke less on the food she bought and more on the idea that she had done something with Alice especially in mind. "Thank you."

The only reply Alice got was Dana meeting their lips for a kiss.

\---

Several hours later, all the unhealthy food long since eaten, they lay curled together on the couch. Alice resting easily on top of Dana, her head tucked underneath the tennis player's chin and their fingers entwined for her to play with. In the background, Dana's stereo played music from a cd she had created for herself. One filled with countless love songs, sad but uplifting, meant to soothe her on the nights where she was lost in her feelings for Alice. 

Needless to say, Dana had been listening to this cd for quite awhile and that being true, was fairly fond of it and the songs it featured. Which was why she was currently trying to get Alice to agree to sing along with the track that was coming up next.

"But the song is so depressing," protested Alice, reluctantly moving from her comfortable spot with her head over Dana's heart to look up at the brunette. "Why do you want me to sing a depressing song now that we're all happy and together?" Her brown eyes narrowed in humorously exaggerated suspicion. "Do you secretly seek drama? Are you an angsty drama dyke?"

"No, I'm not a drama dyke," said Dana, scowling and using her chin to lightly butt Alice for the remark. "I like the song," she shrugged. "Okay, I admit it's sad but it's also pretty. And I think you'd sound really good singing it." She paused to study the contemplative look on Alice's face then decided to use the ultimate weapon at her disposal. Extreme cute pouting. "Please?"

"Aww, hell, that's not fair," complained Alice, twisting in Dana's arms and shifting her gaze to avoid the wide blue eyes that were silently pleading with her. "Using your Bambi eyes is playing dirty."

"I'll stop if you sing it," Dana husked, voice holding an unspoken promise.

"Are you even going to be able to hear me sing it over the stereo?" asked Alice in a vague protest attempt although it now seemed certain she would do as Dana requested.

"Of course I'll be able to hear you," replied Dana who rolled her eyes at this comment. Reaching down, her fingers rested in messy blonde hair to play with the strands softly. "I want to hear you sing it," she whispered fervently.

Relaxing at the sensation of Dana's fingers in her hair, Alice huffed, "You are aware that you're the girliest and gayest person I know, right? You're like the embodiment of girly and gay."

A smile in her voice, Dana replied with a wry chuckle. "What?" she drawled. "Does that mean you would rather have me be manly and straight?"

"Oh god, bad visual," Alice made a horrible face at the thought of a manly and straight Dana. "Eww," she repeated and gave Dana a hard poke in her side. "Now I have an image of manly straight Dana in my head. That's so wrong."

"Sorry," said Dana, chuckling and not sounding the least bit apologetic. 

Grunting irritably, Alice chose burrow further into Dana's embrace instead of replying then she questioned, "Do you want me to sing the whole song or just part of it?"

"You don't have to sing the whole song if you don't want to," said Dana eagerly, her excitement over the fact that Alice would fulfill her request now more than obvious.

"But you want me to?" Alice asked with a smile.

"Yes," said Dana emphatically, nodding her head.

They were still for a moment then Alice moved slightly backwards to look into Dana's eyes as she traced a hand down her cheek. "So goddamn girly," she growled affectionately. After saying this, she laid her head down to rest over Dana's heart and together they waited in silence for the song that was playing to end so the next one, meant for Alice to sing, could begin.

Upon hearing the low and melodic beat of the song as it cued, Dana's heart sped up from anticipation. Something that Alice couldn't help but notice with her head placed on the brunette's chest. Feeling Dana's enthusiasm tugged at a romantic sentiment long buried in Alice and her voice was thick with emotion on singing the opening lyrics, "Are you breathing what I'm breathing? Are your wishes the same as mine? Are you needing what I'm needing? I'm waiting for a sign."

Pulling slowly away to look into darkened blue eyes as she sang, Alice mimicked the lyrics and reached out to cup Dana's face. "My hands tremble," her voice seemed to waver with the lyric, hands tracing a soft path. "My heart aches. Is it you calling?"

"If I'm alone in this," Alice continued and kept her gaze locked with Dana's, sharing an unspoken bond. Letting her see all that she was feeling, all that she felt for Dana, for this new relationship they had, for the love they had for one another. "I don't think I can face the consequences of falling."

The last lyric repeated and Alice pushed upwards to capture Dana's lips for a kiss. Languid and unhurried, taking her time and showing Dana everything she held within her. When they parted with low uttered moans, Alice's voice was raspy from desire and she sang, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Does your pulse quicken like mine?" Ducking her head, she gave into her urges and sucked on the quivering pulse before her, delighting in the gasp Dana released. Pulling away only to continue the song in husky tones, "Are you dreaming what I'm dreaming?" Alice peered up at Dana with a wry and playful smile. "I can't read your mind."

"One step towards you," sang Alice, her voice soft and tremulous, her hands tracing Dana's delicate features. "Two steps back. Feels like I'm crawling..." She trailed off as the lyric echoed and smiled sweetly, moving to nuzzle Dana's neck, the smile growing larger at the silent shudders of pleasure caused by her actions. "If I'm alone in this. I don't think I can face the consequences of falling."

Unable to withstand anymore teasing, though fully aware that she brought the situation on herself, Dana grasped impatiently at Alice with hands made frantic from sheer and utter desire. Desperately reaching for Alice, wanting her close, needing her touch more than anything, Dana arched up off the couch and met their lips for a passionate kiss. Elegant fingers tangled in messy blonde locks and she moaned into Alice they melded together, striving to become one person in the heat of their embrace. 

Loud heaving breaths filled the air at their parting and Alice's voice became pure in its need as she sang on, "My hands tremble. My heart aches. Is it you calling?"

"If I'm alone in this," Alice sang. Now exhausted, she dropped her head to once again tuck it underneath Dana's chin. She felt wonderful but worn from the strength it took to share of what they just had. "I don't think I can face the consequences of falling..."

The song ended, fading into the next, and they rested against one another relaxed simply by the other's presence. Slipping a hand underneath Alice's shirt to softly stroke the skin at the small of her back, Dana's voice carried an underlined yearning. "I love your singing," she announced.

Just the sound of the stereo playing and their breathing was the only response. Alice shifted in Dana's arms as if trying to hide herself safely away in the warm embrace then spoke in small and uncertain tones that didn't sound at all like herself. "Why?" Alice questioned. And her need to be answered honestly was clear in her voice even in its current fragile state.

"Because," Dana started hesitantly, trying to sort her feelings in her head in order to properly explain. Alice smiled softly, looking on as the brunette's brow furrowed in adorable concentration. Finally gathering what she wanted, no, needed to say, Dana met Alice's gaze. "I'm not good with words, Al," she murmured, stating this as plain fact. "But you are and I love that... I love how you can make me feel better with just a few words. How you can fix things with them. I could never do that." Her face scrunched up and Dana appeared to be losing her train of thought, causing Alice to watch her affectionately. "When you sing it's better than when you talk because it's not what you say it's more of how you say it." Dana's hands drifted down to hold Alice's face tenderly, caressing the delicate shell of her ear. "I know what you're feeling when you sing and I love that because it makes me feel closer to you." Blushing hotly, Dana twisted around, now avoiding Alice's inquisitive gaze.

Alice allowed this for a minute sliver of time but nothing more and touched Dana's cheek, moving her face firm but caring until their eyes met. When they did, a luminescent smile graced her features and her dark eyes were knowing. "I love you so much, Dana," she confessed in a shaky whisper.

The smile that Alice received at these words was as bright and as powerful as the sun. Though she would be reluctant to ever tell anyone this, perhaps even Dana, the tennis player somehow reminded Alice of the sun. Warming her with just her mere presence and seeming to bring life to everything around her. There was an indefinable innocence in Dana that was nearly impossible to resist, almost like she was a force of nature.

"And I love you... and your singing," Dana said a tad mischievously, her eyes twinkling as she murmured against Alice's lips when their kiss ended. 

"I see where this is going," remarked Alice dryly. "You only love me for my voice." Wagging a finger, she mock growled, "Tennis playing hussy! You said you loved all my body parts."

Skilled hands traveled down Alice's body, tracing the various body parts mentioned, and Dana rumbled with a smile, "I do love all your body parts. I just love your voice the most."

"The twins are very upset with you for saying that," Alice pronounced, faking a scowl and dropping her forehead against Dana's. "They might never get over this."

"Oh?" asked Dana innocently, peering down at Alice's breasts which was something made quite easy by their positions. "Should I apologize to them?"

"I think you should," Alice nodded solemnly. Whatever words she meant to say next dying in her throat when Dana smoothly reversed their positions, moving down her body with lush kisses that burned deep into her skin and the reverent touch of careful hands caressing her. Alice's fingers instinctively tangled into brown hair and she couldn't help saying her name in a gasp. "Dana..."

Peering up at her with earnest blue eyes, Dana dropped her head and pushed up Alice's shirt, pressing a kiss onto the flat skin of her stomach. Looking up at hearing Alice's wavering breaths, she said soft and serious, "Do you know how long I've wanted this?"

Tucking back loose tendrils of wavy brown hair, Alice's dark eyes held a quiet curiosity. "No," she murmured with a loving smile. "How long?" When Dana suddenly became shy and tried to avert her gaze, seeming to not want to give Alice the answer, she held her still with gentle yet strong hands. Cupping the brunette's face, Alice soothed her with tender caresses. "How long, Dana?" she asked in a muted plea for the truth. "I want to know."

"I've probably loved you since the day that we met," admitted Dana shyly and she gave into temptation, imitating Alice's earlier position to rest her head over the blonde's heart. She sighed pleasurably at the sensation of expert fingers massaging her scalp. "I think I first suspected it when you took me to Milk and punched Nadia Meirtschin," Dana chuckled at the memory.

"I forgot about that!" exclaimed Alice, her hands threading out of Dana's hair to clap together in a strange gesture of glee. Meeting Dana's eyes that observed her with fond humor, she clucked her tongue and drawled, "I was stupendously butch, wasn't I? I laid that bitch out."

"Yes, you did," Dana agreed soberly, nodding her head. Forming a playful grin, she pushed up and met their lips for a sweet kiss. "I was very impressed." Lowering her head, she listened to the steady beat of Alice's heart. "I knew for sure that I loved you when you flew to be with me when I was homesick during that qualifying tournament in England."

"Ohh, I remember that," said Alice as she toyed with the soft hairs at the nape of Dana's neck and comfortingly rubbed the tan skin before her. "I got food poisoning from the fish and chips. Although," she made a comical face, "I'm not sure if I got food poisoning from it being cooked improperly or if it was the fact that the food was just bad."

"Figures that's what you'd remember," Dana complained with good humor.

Squirming underneath Dana's welcome weight, Alice moved to kiss the strong line of the brunette's jaw and murmured in husky tones, "I also remember how hot you looked in that little white tennis outfit of yours. How every time you ran it would fly up to let me see that tiny bit of your perfect body that was hidden." Reaching out with soft lips, she nibbled and tugged on Dana's ear lobe then moved a slow path towards her mouth. "I remember how sexy you looked when you won," her voice rough in desire. "I remember how I wanted you but made myself ignore it because you were a friend."

Their lips met in a kiss and they groaned when their tongues met, striving to be as close as they possibly could. Wanting to crawl inside each other's skin to feel this connection go on. They parted with audible moans and Dana chuckled. "At least I wasn't the only one," she noted.

"Mmm," Alice made a noncommittal noise in response and pulled Dana closer who then tucked her head underneath the journalist's chin. Her hands ran over the length of Dana's back and together they released a quiet sigh of happiness. "I wonder if we could stay like this?" she pondered after a moment. Laughter in her voice, Alice went on, "I bet I could write for LA Magazine from this couch. Sadly, it's really not that different than my puny office space."

Unable to help it, Dana burst into delighted laughter at this absurd idea. "I don't know, Al," she started, tones mischievous and teasing. "Somehow I can't see me being able to play tennis from this couch. There's a whole host of problems involved. Beginning with the issue of how can I run after the ball when I'm busy lying on top of you?"

"You're not working with my brilliant new life plan here, Dane," pouted Alice, forming a matching expression that only served to endear her further to her girlfriend.

"Sorry," laughed Dana, not sounding at all remorseful as she leaned forward for a quick kiss. "But your brilliant new life plan doesn't really work with my Subaru deal either. I'm not sure how I could participate in a wide scale ad campaign from a couch." At these words, the blonde tensed ever so slightly but enough that Dana definitely took note. "Al," she murmured worriedly, tilting her head and peering at the other woman. "What is it?"

Irritated that she created a shift in their cheerful mood, Alice shook her head and flashed a wide smile. "It's nothing," she declared and moved to kiss Dana only to have her attempt foiled when the brunette retreated from her. "Dana?" she whispered, a little hurt. 

"I want to know what's wrong," supplied Dana, locking her gaze with Alice's. She paused then cautiously reached down to touch the pale skin before her. "You don't have to be the strong one all the time. I want to be the person who takes care of you." Frowning in a sign of frustration, Dana continued, "But I can't do that if you don't tell me what's wrong, Al."

Nibbling on her bottom lip, unaware of the effect this absent gesture consistently had on the tennis player, Alice shifted to look into endless blue eyes. "It really is nothing," she muttered, sounding annoyed with herself. "It's just... when you mentioned Subaru I remembered the deals Tonya made. And then I remembered how she set herself up for a 15% take of your earnings when she got you endorsements." She looked up at Dana anxiously, desperate to properly explain. "I don't care about your money though! I mean, I do care, because it's your money but I also know from my mom that money, fame, and all that can't ever really make you happy. I just worry about the possibility of Tonya permanently weaseling her way into your finances thanks to that contract she made. I know how much you want to make it professionally," Alice finished in a subdued whisper.

"Oh," said Dana, her tones hushed. The apprehension in Alice was palpable and although she wanted to immediately ease the tension, she had to pause to consider the blonde's words. "My agent is taking care of Tonya," she said finally.

"Good," Alice gave an audible sigh of relief.

They were silent for a long moment then Dana spoke softly, her voice laced with wry humor, "And, Al? I know you're not after my considerable fortune. You don't have the ability to be subtle enough to make it as a successful gold digger."

"I'm not sure if I should feel complimented or insulted," replied Alice, wrinkling her nose. 

Laughing quietly, Dana folded her arms on Alice's chest and rested her chin on them, peering up into brown eyes. She tilted her head into the blonde's touch when warm hands cupped her cheek. "My father warned me thousands of times to be careful with my money," she began thoughtfully. "I wish now that I had paid more attention to his advice. Maybe when things blow over I'll talk to him about Tonya. Ask him what he thinks I should do to fix the entire problem with the endorsements."

"That's a good idea," encouraged Alice with a smile. A playful twinkle emerged in her eyes and she drawled, "Though you do realize that because we're dating your mother will probably think that I did indeed convert you to the dyke side totally Darth Vader style."

Knowing that Alice was most likely correct in her prediction, Dana released a loud and highly embarrassed groan, to then bury herself in Alice's arms who rocked her to and fro, laughing at her girlfriend's state of mortification at merely imagining it. But frankly, she could hardly blame her.

\---

"You know," Shane looked around the apartment, a truly perplexed expression on her handsome features. "This place looks different." Sinking into the ugly as always couch, a frown formed and she turned to Tina who was approaching. "Did you and Al change something in here or what?"

"No, we haven't... but you are right. Something does look different," replied Tina, looking contemplative as she studied their surroundings. "I wonder why?"

They sat together on the ugly couch and by some strange twist of fate, realized exactly why the apartment looked so different at the same time. Facing one another, Tina and Shane wore identical grins of victory and exclaimed, "It's clean!"

Bursting into laughter, they clung to each other, not really sure why they found this so funny but simply enjoying that they did. Wiping a tear from her left eye, Shane remarked, "You know the real reason why the place looks so nice, right?"

"Because I cleaned it?" asked Tina sardonically as she bumped Shane's shoulder with her own in an affectionate move that showed she was merely teasing.

"No," Shane chuckled, returning the bump softly. "It's because hurricane Alice hasn't been around. With just you on the premises of course it's gonna look nice." Nodding her head wisely, Shane sank back into the couch and grinned. "When's the last time you saw her anyway?"

"I don't know," murmured Tina, arranging herself more comfortably on the couch. Trying to achieve comfy sitting positions was becoming increasingly difficult as the pregnancy progressed, she had learned. "Today's Saturday so I think it was Thursday morning. She came here to get some notes for that article she's writing on the positive effects mayonnaise has on feminine skin."

Lifting a perfectly sculptured eyebrow, Shane shook her head then drawled, "I don't wanna know." 

"That might be best," said Tina, releasing a giggle. After which she turned red and became even redder when she saw the delighted grin Shane wore on hearing this. "My god," she whispered in vague horror, "did I just giggle?" 

"You did," Shane nodded solemnly, green eyes twinkling. 

"Baby!" Tina ducked her head down and gently cupping her rounded belly, she wore a face of exaggerated scolding and she proceeded to talk to the child inside of her. "You're creating crazy hormones that are making Mommy giggle. That is unacceptable and perhaps worthy of a no chocolate ice cream today punishment."

"That's way too harsh man," rumbled Shane in sympathetic tones. Leaning down, she mock whispered to Tina's stomach, "No worries kid. When she's asleep I'll stick a Hershey bar in her mouth. She'll never know what hit her."

Playfully slapping Shane on the shoulder, Tina sighed happily and rubbed her stomach. "That was an empty threat anyway," she said with a grin. "I love chocolate far too much to deprive myself of it. Baby induced giggling or not."

"I figured," said Shane kindly. There was a pause then Shane asked, her voice careful and almost hesitant, "How are you doing, T? Really?"

"I miss Bette," said Tina, deciding to abandon pretenses and simply tell the truth when it came to this conversation. "And I'm not angry at her constantly like I used to be. I still hurt but it's not the same sharp feeling I had... where I felt like it would kill me. It's more of a dull ache, created from wanting something that's gone." Lifting her gaze, Tina met Shane's knowing eyes. The hairdresser somehow was looking more breathtaking than usual in her expression of honest empathy. A sad smile pulling on her lips, Tina confessed, "I want to see Bette. I'm ready to see her again but I'm not sure what to tell her when she asks me what I want because I have no idea."

"Then tell her that," advised Shane, her face and vocal tones soft and so very understanding. "You doing that would be more than enough for Bette right now. I can promise you." 

"That's right," Tina gained a sudden and sharp awareness. "You probably see Bette every day since you live next to her with Jenny." Without realizing she was doing it, Tina scooted forward and looked at her friend slightly pleading now. "How is she, Shane?"

Shane released a breath of air, not really a sigh per se but perhaps instead a vocalization of her confusion. Running her fingers through her shortened but still perpetually crazed hair, Shane finally made her decision and muttered, "Not good, T. You know, I go to see her all the time and she's not like she was. I'm not sure how to explain it... but it's the same as you," she finished feebly, looking irritated at not being able to find the right words.

"What do you mean?" questioned Tina worriedly.

"She's not the Bette that I know, hell, she's probably not the Bette you know either anymore. And I figure that goes the same for you but she's not sad all the time anymore," Shane said. Shrugging her impossibly thin shoulders, she laughed wryly and said, "She's not happy either. I guess, it's more like... she's getting by. But I think she's doing better, sorta like you are."

"Oh," Tina said in a hushed murmur, seeming forlorn.

Seeing this, Shane cleared her throat and when the blonde looked to her, she said, "Bette misses you. And I sure as hell know that she loves you. What you wanna do with that is up to you but I'm telling you now, T. She's waiting for you to make your move."

There was silence as Tina mulled over Shane's words and after a few moments, the wiry brunette decided that they both needed a good dose of cheering up. Which in their group of friends meant just one thing only and despite the many changes in their lives recently it was something that remained reassuringly the same. 

And it was that Dana and Alice were considered their built in source of comic relief. Without even trying, they managed to make their friends laugh and feel better about life in general.

Personality traits that sadly, would bring the end of their voluntary seclusion.

\---

Dana was startled out of an exceptionally enjoyable sleep by the loud and persistent ring of her doorbell that was sounding off in 2.4 second intervals. Groaning and shaking her head as if to deny the ringing was actually occurring, Dana shifted and it was then that she noticed her position.

Well, not her position really. Their position. Her and Alice's. 

The position happened to be a complicated one. Studying their limbs, Dana couldn't quite figure out where her legs were, just that they were hopelessly tangled with Alice's. She did know, however, that Alice was snuggled into the crook of her neck, lips pressed lightly over her pulse point. Possessing an unnatural ability to sleep through pretty much anything, Alice remained in slumber though some part of her was coming into consciousness thanks to the doorbell ringing.

This became clear because Alice was squirming enough to make certain body parts come into far closer contact, causing Dana's heart to speed up and her pulse to flutter wildly. A pulse that found itself partially kissed by soft lips as Alice muttered, half asleep, "Knock knock not funny, Dane..."

If possible, the doorbell transformed into an annoyance of more monstrous proportions as the ringing changed from 2.4 second intervals and into the realm of .97 second hellish high pitched torture. It was an evil that Alice, even equipped with her mighty power of coma patient type sleep patterns, couldn't fight successfully against.

Roused with a very grumpy protest, Alice's ill advised squirming continued in the trend of her accidentally touching Dana in fairly sensitive places. And when a searching hand that was trying to readjust Alice's body so she might attempt to keep sleeping just happened to slip lower down...

THUMP!

Alice, thanks to Dana's instinctual reflexes, was now lying face first on the floor and found herself fully and rather unhappily wide awake.

"Oh my god, Al!" screeched Dana in a panic, rolling off the couch to plunk onto the ground. She then hastily crawled over to Alice on her hands and knees. The blonde was lying completely still, remaining face first on the floor. Scurrying to her side, Dana pulled her over so she was lying on her back. Brown eyes were squeezed tightly shut and leaning down, Dana darted her eyes frantically up and down the writer's body. "Al? Al, are you okay?" Dana fretted. She cupped Alice's face and biting her lip, she said in a near hysterical babble, "Al! If you're okay tell me because I'm getting worried and I might call 911 and you're not supposed to call them unless it's an emergency. I think it's against the law. No, I know it is because Howie did it once--"

"I'm paralyzed," Alice announced in supremely droll tones. "No," she groaned and her habitual squirming returned in full force as she stuck her hand underneath her back to rub it wearily. "I can't be paralyzed. If I was then my body wouldn't hurt this much, would it?"

"Al," Dana breathed a huge sigh of relief and she collapsed next to Alice on the floor, no longer paying attention to the irritating .97 second doorbell ringing intervals. An instinctive smile formed on her face when Alice opened her eyes and tilted her head to meet their gazes. "I'm sorry," she whispered, looking dejected. "I didn't mean to make you go flying like that."

Ceasing to rub her bruised body, Alice smiled softly and touched Dana's face, pushing back stray strands of hair. "I'm fine," she soothed and scooting over cautiously, wary due to feeling rather sore from her sudden flight, Alice kissed Dana sweetly. Pulling away to murmur, "But you should really go see who that is because I don't think they're going away anytime soon."

Eager to please, Dana leapt to her feet and bounded towards the source of the insistent ringing. Opening the door to reveal that an evilly smirking Shane was the culprit responsible for the agonizing noise torture. The hairdresser was removing her thumb from the ringer. A thumb that had turned red from the pressure of repeatedly pressing the doorbell at faster and faster intervals.

Standing behind her were Tina, Lara, and Jenny. Both Tina and Lara wore contrite expressions on their faces but Jenny wore a huge grin that Alice would've most likely described as shit eating. While Shane had nothing in her hands, probably because she had assigned herself annoying doorbell ringing duties, Tina held a dvd, Lara carried several large plastic bags which Dana's nose told her contained Chinese food, and Jenny was hefting two large cases of beer in each hand.

"You guys?" Dana blinked at them in bafflement, lost as to precisely why they would decide to spontaneously visit. They did know that she and Alice had just begun dating, didn't they? And they had to know that new couples like to spend some time alone. "What are you doing here?"

Being Shane, she managed to smoothly push past Dana without seeming rude, drawling as she did so, "We brought emergency supplies for the latest members of the lezzie isolationist cult."

"Hey Dana," said Lara almost shyly, moving towards the tennis player and lifting up the large bags. "I got us some food from Hoys. I hope that's okay."

"Yeah, of course it is," said Dana distractedly, taking the food from Lara, continuing to be preoccupied with figuring out why they were all here. 

It was then that Tina appeared at her side, looking rather sheepish. "I'm sorry, Dane," she began. "I was feeling down and Shane got this idea to come here for a visit because... well..."

"Because you and Al are fucking perky," Shane magically reemerged. She had apparently gone upstairs but for what reason Dana had no clue. "Where's the little woman? I can't find her scrawny ass anywhere in this place. This condo is like some weird leveled labyrinth, Dane."

Frowning at the dig, Dana gestured, with food bags in hand, to the living room. "Al's in there," she remarked then turned to Jenny who had the shit eating grin permanently frozen onto her face. "What kind of beer did you get?" asked Dana, not recognizing the brand the skinny brunette held.

"Tsingtao," chirped Jenny and she raised her arms to let Dana have a closer study. She was feeling almost giddy at being included in the gathering and rather hoped it would help her slowly but surely make a place for herself in this circle of tight knit friends. Laughing at the odd expression Dana wore, Jenny continued, "Don't worry. It's really good."

"Al! Dude, what the fuck?" Shane's voice carried throughout the condo and everyone immediately went running towards it. Well, except Dana. She sighed heavily and trudged after her friends already mourning the needless death of her and Alice's enjoyable seclusion. 

They entered to find that Alice hadn't moved, remaining sprawled out on the floor on her back, but now with an arm flung over her eyes. Upon hearing Shane speak, she moved the arm slightly to peer backwards at her friends while staying in her lying position on the floor. 

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Alice, unaware that she was saying a variant of her girlfriend's words from moments earlier.

As she said this, Dana poked her head into the room and on seeing Alice had stayed on the floor her expression became troubled. "Al? Are you sure you're okay?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Dane, really," Alice waved off the concern and flashed her most dazzling smile.

"Oh no," said Shane, releasing a laugh that was a tad sinister in the level of sheer amusement found in it. "Dane did you finally go and lose control because Al got all forceful with you?"

The reactions to this remark were instantaneous. Dana turned fire engine red then scampered away with Chinese food in hand, Alice appeared totally perplexed, Shane had an air of smug pride, Tina wore a combined look of curiosity and concern, Lara just blinked, and Jenny continued to wear her shit eating grin until infinity and beyond.

"You should get up, Al," chastised Tina, moving over to Alice and then crouching down next to the blonde. "I don't think this can be good for your back."

"Yes, mother," pronounced Alice in sing song tones, rolling her eyes and sitting up. "Good to see you, T," she murmured, giving her friend a genuine smile. She rose to her feet, aiding Tina with her own attempt which was made a little difficult due to her pregnancy, and remarked, "Don't think I haven't noticed you bitches aren't answering my question. What are you doing here anyway?" 

"Yeah," Dana chimed in, striding into the room on a direct route towards Alice. She folded the blonde into an easy embrace, her arms wrapping around the small waist in front of her and Alice leaned into her with a sigh. Dana dropped her chin to rest on the writer's shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't be so mean," declared Shane who managed to look believably heartbroken. "We wanted to make sure you were alive. We weren't positive because between all of us we've only seen you guys for a total of about two hours in the span of a whole week."

"Or in other words, you missed seeing us," Alice deadpanned. "Awwww," she crooned, smiling impishly as she unconsciously moved with Dana who was rocking them gently to and fro. "You guys must be the huggiest bunch of friends that a couple could possibly have."

"Shut up," ordered Shane sternly, pointing a finger at Alice. The grin that tugged at her lips made it evident that she was teasing. "Besides," she continued, nodding in Tina's direction. "Shouldn't you be feeling ashamed for leaving your new roommate alone when she's in the family way?"

Shane barely got the words out when Alice extricated herself from the warm circle of Dana's arms and rushed to Tina's side. "You haven't been feeling well? Why didn't you call me? Do you want to see a doctor?" she rattled the questions off urgently.

"I'm fine, Al," said Tina, unable to help laughing at the protective and mother hen quality that Alice had suddenly taken on. "I feel the same as any other woman would at this point in the pregnancy." When Alice looked at her doubtfully, Tina chuckled and gave her an affectionate one armed hug. "I'm fine," she cajoled, murmuring in Alice's ear and blowing back locks of blonde hair. "I promise I'll let you know if I start feeling really sick."

"Right," Alice's eyes were narrowed slightly and she looked down at Tina's round belly. Touching it tenderly, she said in a humorous command, "Don't make your Mom feel crappy, baby. You'll make me mad and then I won't buy you a slew of useless yet shiny toys as presents."

While this occurred, Shane and Jenny exited the room to put the beer in Dana's refrigerator which left only Dana and Lara to observe the interaction between Alice and Tina. Able to discern jealousy when she saw it, no matter how trivial and unwarranted it was, Lara moved to Dana's side when the tennis player's jaw set into a grim line.

"Alice loves you, Dana," said Lara quietly yet powerfully enough that the brunette turned to her wearing a startled look on her face. Smiling, she clasped Dana's arm and rubbed it in a comforting motion. Giving into the evil humor she had probably contracted from spending time with Shane on the ride there, Lara's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "But don't ask me to explain why."

It hardly seemed conceivable but somehow Dana managed to turn redder than she had thanks to Shane's forceful comment. Of course, when she did so was the moment that Alice looked from Tina to Dana. At the sight of her blushing girlfriend standing next to her ex in the middle of what looked to be a fairly intimate gesture, Alice arched an eyebrow in sardonic speculation.

"Perkins," said Alice in lofty tones, sounding almost like she was beginning a speech. "Don't tell me that you came over here for the sole purpose of using your suave chef moves on my woman."

Lara smiled sweetly in response, noting the amusement lining the blonde's voice. Too bad it was something that Dana didn't catch onto. Eyes wide with panic, she performed a sideways leap to put a good deal of distance between her and Lara then began stammering anxiously, "She wasn't! She was only being nice. Which Lara always is. Nice, I mean, but not flirting nice because I'm not interested in flirting with her because I'm only interested in flirting with you, Al."

"You should totally teach speed talking classes, Dane," commented Shane, who entered the room with Jenny trailing after her. "You got that shit down pat."

Whirling around to face Shane and Jenny, wearing an expression that could be described as mortified fear and embarrassment, Dana didn't notice Alice's approach until pale arms wrapped around her waist to hold her tight. Soft lips nuzzled her neck and there was a smile in her voice as Alice whispered, "I know you only want to flirt with me, Dane. And I only want to flirt with you."

Their friends somehow couldn't move their eyes away from the sight of Dana and Alice, watching transfixed as Dana formed an elated smile and sank into Alice's body. She tilted her head back to say something to the blonde who chuckled fondly at her words and moved in for a lazy kiss.

"So fucking cute," Shane shook her head, smirking.

Separating from the kiss and smiling at the quiet sigh Dana released on doing so, Alice peered over at Shane and smirked. "Please," she intoned playfully. "You know you want this." Shane rolled her eyes in response and Alice laughed, looking to the others and realizing for the first time that Tina was holding a dvd. "What you got there, T?"

A gleeful smile formed on Tina's features and she practically skipped over to Alice, lifting up the dvd. "I brought you a present filled to the brim with excellent movie making badness," she said happily.

"Yeah?" asked Alice, smiling and taking the dvd as Tina handed it to her. She studied it a moment and looked up at Tina in amazement. "No way! How did you get this? I've been trying forever to buy a copy of this. Her website is sold out."

"I know," Tina nodded excitedly, flipping the dvd over in Alice's hands. "I found it at that tiny rental place a few blocks from the apartment. The one that looks like an old Mexican restaurant." She excitedly pointed at the horrible graphics on the cover that featured a green faced man in a lab coat with insect feelers. "It sounds so bad, Al," she laughed. "The strip club is called the GoGoSaurus and its owner, for some reason, decides to order a shipment of bioengineered marijuana. Of course, it has spiders inside it who eat the marijuana and turn all crazy human killing because of it."

"I love Misty Mundae," said Alice solemnly. Separating from Dana, she walked to the TV with Tina following. "She is truly a genius. Who else but a genius would be in a movie of this stature?"

The two blondes then started to analyze in depth and praise session focused on Misty's acting talents that left the others stupefied. Dana looked to her similarly confused companions and stated hesitantly, "Mundae? As in rhymes with Sunday?"

"I don't think we want to know," said Jenny, her voice foreboding.

"But it looks like we will be knowing pretty soon," Lara observed, nodding at Alice and Tina who were putting the movie into the dvd player.

"I'm gonna get the food and booze," Shane finally contributed to the conversation, shrugging before she bounded upstairs. "Looks like we'll need it."

"Yeah," echoed Dana, frowning at the opening sequence of the movie that featuring the most horribly assembled sets she had ever seen. "It looks like."

\---

Half an hour later, they were gathered around the television watching the movie, eating Chinese food, and drinking beer. Tina had been given the couch as her own personal domain and sat on it length wise with her feet in Shane's lap. Jenny and Lara settled into the nearby smaller sofa while Alice perched on Dana's lap who was in the super comfortable recliner.

"You know," began Dana in thoughtful consideration, taking a long drink from her beer. "That exterminator is really horrible at his job." Eyeing Alice's ginger chicken, she waited until the blonde was focused on the television then her hand darted forward to steal some pieces. Popping the chicken into her mouth, Dana remarked, "I'd shoot the stupid spiders."

"If he was good at his job we wouldn't have a movie," Alice said, turning back to Dana and looking down at her food she frowned. The amount of chicken on her plate had greatly decreased. Meeting eyes with a suspiciously guilty looking Dana, she scowled. "Stop stealing my food!"

"I'm not stealing your food," said Dana, looking offended. "Why would I steal your food?" Holding up the vegetarian meal Lara had gotten for her, Dana smiled. "I have this... mmm... yummy... steamed broccoli." She held the plate up under Alice's nose which immediately scrunched up.

"Ugh! Get that away from me, I hate broccoli!" exclaimed Alice in almost a shriek, squirming to put distance between herself and Dana's vegetarian meal monstrosity. "It is by far the most disgusting and useless vegetable," she muttered under her breath, turning her attention to the movie again.

Soon as she did, Dana stole another piece of ginger chicken.

Watching the couple interact, Shane chuckled and leaning towards Lara and Jenny, she mock whispered, "See what I mean? They're already acting like an old married couple. Sad, huh?"

"Tragic," Lara agreed solemnly.

"Almost Shakespearean, isn't it?" mused Jenny.

"Shut up, bitches," ordered Alice distractedly, her eyes fixated on the television screen. By this point only she and Tina were truly paying attention to the movie. "We like acting old and married."

"Yeah, we like it," echoed Dana, stealing yet another piece of ginger chicken and chuckling when Alice half heartedly whapped at her for doing so. Taking the chicken that Alice was holding into her mouth, Dana gave into her naughty impulses and nibbled on pale fingers in the process. The blonde exhaled a shaky breath at this and reached back to thread her fingers into the Dana's wavy hair, massaging her scalp in an affectionate gesture. Beaming widely, the tennis player looked to the others and declared, "Ha! If we like to act old and married then you can't call it tragic. Because tragic means to regret something and do you see us regretting acting old and married?" After she finished saying all of this, Dana practically glowed with pride. Then she gave into her more childish instincts and stuck her tongue out at them. "So there."

Upon seeing Dana's tongue aimed in their direction, Shane, Lara, and Jenny collapsed into hysterical laughter. Alice and Tina, in the meantime, were analyzing the virtuoso skill of Misty as she killed a marijuana mutated spider with her high heel.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," Jenny wheezed through her laughter.

"Definitely," concurred Shane, nodding her head.

"I'll go with that," Lara said with a sigh, wiping at her tears.

"Why the hell are you guys quoting Captain Kirk?" asked Dana, looking absolutely mystified.

Total silence and then the trio burst into uncontrolled laughter loud enough that if it went on long enough could have probably shaken Dana's condo apart. Dana scowled heavily at this reaction while Tina and Alice looked irritated at having their movie watching experience disrupted.

"The lady doth protest too much is a quote from Shakespeare, Dana," said Jenny, taking deep breaths and attempting to calm her stomach which was still twitching from laughter. "The play is Hamlet and the character who says it is Gertrude if you want to be more specific."

"Oh," said Dana self-consciously, once again turning a dark hue of red. Tucking her face into Alice's neck who was leaning back into her, she muttered peevishly, "I'd like to see her try and return a 120 mile per hour serve." Alice apparently heard this quiet utterance and chuckling in amusement, she turned to the brunette to then deposit a soft kiss on her lips. Smiling happily, Dana nuzzled Alice and said in a murmured observation, "You don't smell like an old married lady."

The comment earned Dana another kiss before Alice returned to talking with Tina and they began discussing the likelihood that Misty could run that well in high heels in real life. Dana turned to face Shane, Lara, and Jenny to then stick out her tongue for her final rebuttal. 

A gesture which was returned to her in thirds.

\---

"I know that they meant well," Alice mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste, vigorously moving her brush back and forth. "But I'm so glad they're gone. I mean, I'm sorry! I like being isolationist with you." Leaning over the sink, she spit it out and took a drink of water. "I guess it is sort of our fault for ignoring them." She paused to look at Dana's reflection in the mirror. The tennis player was leaning against the doorframe to the bathroom, watching her with hooded blue eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Dana replied in husky tones, pushing off the door and walking over to Alice. Her hands dropped to rest on birdlike hips and she smiled softly. "I was just thinking how you fit in perfectly here. Like it's where you're meant to be."

"Maybe because I am," said Alice simply, matching the smile and winding her arms around Dana's neck. "Us? You and me? We're simpatico."

Dana's nose scrunched up and her brow furrowed in the adorable fashion that Alice loved and she said in a half whine, "I have no idea what means. I bet it isn't from Star Trek though."

"No, it's not from Star Trek," Alice laughed fondly. "It isn't from anything in particular, to tell the truth. And it just means is that we fit. So all I was doing was agreeing with you, Dane."

"Oh," said Dana quietly, beaming proudly on hearing this. Moving down to capture Alice's lips, she murmured against them, "I love that we agree."

The kiss deepened and Alice moaned into Dana who pushed gently forward, placing her hands on either side of the blonde to intensify the embrace. Pushing her tongue for an allowed entrance and tasting of what she could never have enough. She felt Alice's fingers tangle into her hair, massaging her scalp and pulling her in closer yet. Hesitating for a moment, Dana gave into her desires and decided to try her hand at being bold. Praying that she wouldn't regret this, she removed a hand from the sink to start a slow path up the side of Alice's body. Tracing the lush curves and stopping to hold the welcome weight of a breast, thumb reaching out to caress a hardening nipple.

"Okay," Alice tore her mouth from Dana's with a loud gasp, squirming out of her arms and ducking underneath her to do a strange dash into the bedroom. "We need to get ready for bed."

"That's what I thought we were doing," responded Dana in tones made rough from desire. Her blue eyes were almost black with the want and need she felt. Though lust was fogging over her brain she could still recognize the nervous air surrounding Alice who was running about the room, searching for her bedtime wear. "Al?" her voice was a husky plea for attention. When Alice stopped in her mad quest for clothing, Dana's lust had faded away enough that her insecurities could now step in. "Don't you..." Swallowing the lump in her throat and suddenly feeling almost sick, Dana went on hoarsely, "Don't you want me?" Alice didn't respond and stared at Dana blankly, which made the tennis player continue on in a defeated and apologetic babble, "I'm not experienced, I know, but I can get better! All you have to do is tell me what I'm doing wrong and I'll fix it." Blue eyes were watery and beseeching as her lips trembled. "I promise, Al. Just tell me..."

"Oh god, Dana," Alice managed to get the words out in a horrified whisper. Dropping the worn t-shirt she held in her hands, she rushed over to the brunette. Cupping the tan face before her gently, Alice practically growled in an intense and not to be disputed murmur, "You are perfect. Everything you do is perfect. Your kisses, your touches, your gropes, everything. I swear to you, Dana."

"Then why..." Dana started only to trail off and she bit down on her lip nervously before meeting comforting brown eyes. "Why do you keep stopping me when I try to take things further?"

Suddenly Alice was just as nervous as Dana and sighing heavily, she leaned into the brunette's arms that instinctively wrapped her up in a tender embrace. "I guess I'm scared," she finally revealed. Chuckling upon actually feeling the confusion arise in her girlfriend's body language, Alice continued, "With my other relationships sex is usually the first thing that we do together. There's never been much of a waiting period with me," she laughed wryly. "I never saw the point in it. But now... I just wonder if that's why they never worked out. That we had sex too soon and it forced the relationships to levels they weren't ready for. I don't know," Alice sighed again. "I'm just worried I'll make the same mistakes with you that I did with others and I can't do that, Dane." She pulled back to look up at Dana, emotionally raw and vulnerable. "I want us to work so badly. I want it more than anything, I think. And I'm so fucking scared of messing us up with my usual endless barrage of crap."

"God, Al," breathed Dana in relief, forming a loving smile and playing with strands of blonde hair. "You don't need to worry about that. Okay," she nodded her head and rubbed a pale cheek fondly. "What do you think of when you think of us and our relationship? The very first thing."

Alice released an embarrassed groan, hiding her face in the tennis player's chest. "Do I have to answer?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"Yes, you have to answer," replied Dana in haughty irritation. 

"Fine," Alice pouted and tried not to concentrate on how close her lips were to the breasts hidden by a fairly thin white tank top. "I guess the very first thing I think of is that it feels right."

There was silence and Alice hesitantly moved to look at Dana who wore a smile that, in her opinion, could someday outshine the sun. Feeling the weight of Alice's gaze, Dana met their eyes and said in an adoring confession, "I feel the same." They remained locked like that, eyes meeting eyes, frozen in the connection they had just made for a long while. Then she shook her head and said quietly, "Then that's how it will be for us, Al. Right. If the first thing you think of when you think about us is that we're right then how in the world could us being together ever be wrong?" When Alice didn't respond and instead wore an expression of pure astonishment, Dana found herself growing uneasy and soon stammered, "But I'll wait for however long that you want..."

"No!" exclaimed Alice in loud protest. When Dana looked at her in wide eyed surprise, she winced and said more softly, "No. I don't want to wait... you're right, Dana." Looking rather sheepish and annoyed with herself, Alice moved closer, pressing their bodies together and resting her lips inches from Dana's. "We're right," she chuckled happily before starting a slow and deliberate kiss.

Tongues mingled and the kiss grew more involved as they stumbled backwards to the bed. Alice falling onto it with a laugh and a moan, burying her fingers in Dana's hair as the athlete pressed the length of their bodies together. They kissed long and luxuriously while hands explored and as they did so, they knew without a doubt that they were right, that this was right.

And decided to spend several hours proving it.

\---

Sex was never something that Alice worried about. When she lost her virginity, both to a boy and then a girl, she hadn't been the least bit nervous. No, instead she had been eager and excited. Lost in the moment and the sensations of bare skin against her own. As she got older, this didn't change.

Alice saw the act of having sex rather like going on a ride in an amusement park. It was a very enjoyable way to spend your time but for her, it was never something out of a Harlequin romance novel. There was no sweeping soundtrack in her head, no slow motion running to her partner, and certainly no dramatic confessions of love. 

Horrible as it was to her, Alice had to admit she was starting to have those sort of thoughts about Dana. Which disturbed her a little bit. But what really scared her was the fact that Dana could make her feel more aroused than any of her previous partners had with only a kiss. If kissing Dana was that powerful then what would the sex be like?

Then there was the sex. It wouldn't be just sex with Dana. With Dana it would be making love and Alice had never done that. Because to be brutally honest, she had never been in love. She might have told herself she was but she hadn't been. Not really.

And she knew without a doubt her feelings for Dana were the real thing. While she had utmost confidence in their ability to not transform into one of those mind melded public displays of affection on overload couples part of Alice was truly scared.

Each time it was more. The touches, the kisses, the caresses, they effected her more and more with every passing minute in the day, overpowering her senses. She wanted to have a measure of self control when it came to Dana as she was well aware of the brunette's lacking sexual experience. Although she hadn't been lying when she told Dana she was the best kisser, toucher, and groper.

She was so good it was damn near impossible for Alice to control herself around Dana. Much as she'd like to deny it, the reason behind her hesitation was fear. Alice knew that the second she and Dana made love they would never be able to go back, that she would never want to stop, that she would want to have it forever, have them forever.

That wasn't a word that exactly fit into her vocabulary when it came to relationships. Yes, she was a not so closeted romantic who had always wanted to have what she did now with Dana. Still, wanting something and having it are two very different things.

Wanting is safe. Having isn't. Not in the least.

There was nothing safe about the way that Dana made Alice feel. Nothing safe in the press of her kisses, the way that she could easily make Alice open up in an insistent soft wet demand, making her weak in the knees and dizzy from desire. Nothing safe in the touch of hands, elegant yet callused and strong from training that held a constant warmth from a naturally high body temperature, as they explored her body with lazy pleasure. Nothing safe at all.

Here she was, having and not wanting, and in the process, not being safe. Losing herself in the feel, taste, and sound of Dana and wondering if there would ever be a way back from this should it all fall apart. Part of her thought there wasn't and it was the same part of her that was scared.

The same part Alice knew had to be squashed when she heard Dana ask if she was all right in tones that were husky from desire but were nevertheless laced with a genuine concern. 

Looking into blue eyes, dark in the lust they held, deep in the love they reflected, Alice had never felt so right in her life. With an easy smile curving on her lips, she tangled her fingers in Dana's hair and pulled her down for a kiss.

She put everything into that kiss. All the desire, all the fear, all the love, everything was in that kiss and Alice felt Dana moan into her as she sucked on her tongue and when they finally parted for need of air she couldn't help but release an enthralling chuckle. 

"I'm fantastic," declared Alice, her voice alight and her eyes twinkling happily. Pushing back a stray lock of brown hair and letting her hand linger on a tanned cheek, she lifted an eyebrow expressively and drawled, "I'm fantastically horny, in fact."

"Dork," Dana accused, laughing lightly and capturing her lips for another kiss. 

The moment that laughter sounded, Alice made her decision to abandon whatever fears she had because they didn't matter. All that mattered was Dana, her feelings for Dana, and showing Dana through her actions precisely what they were. 

Slipping her leg in between Dana's and using the gasp of surprise to her advantage, Alice pressed the tennis player onto the bed. Lowering the length of her body, sighing at the silken feel of skin on skin, Alice slid upwards and seized Dana's lips with her own. Kissing her slow and thorough, sinfully sweet as she opened her up and explored deep, wanting to taste everything that was Dana. 

She pulled away much to Dana's displeasure and Alice smiled against bronzed skin when the brunette anxiously reached for her, wanting her to return for more kisses. But she couldn't be distracted from the path she was currently on, moving down Dana's body and kissing every inch on the journey. Her hands weren't lax either, as they explored the perfectly toned skin, touching and caressing in a delicious attempt to memorize all there was to offer.

When she reached her destination, gently nudging long legs apart, Alice couldn't help smiling in delight at the trembling that resulted from her light breath touching overheated skin. Dana reached for her, fierce in her need, and that was something that Alice could never or would never want to ignore and she laced their fingers as she lowered her head for the first taste.

Dana's hips instinctively rose, arching her lean body off of the bed when Alice's tongue slid inside. The fingers in one hand squeezing the pale hand in hers tightly while the other automatically pressed on the back of Alice's head in a vague attempt to hold her steady.

"Alice," she said the name in a low and guttural moan, hardly able to recognize the sound of her own voice in doing so. Her words trailing off into a loud gasp when the blonde's tongue swept against her aroused clit in a series of slow circular licks. 

Then she was inside again, buried deep, tongue long and insistent only to pull back and suck lightly on the outer folds before Alice again returned her attention to the clit with teasing kisses and long deliberate sucking. Feeling painfully aroused, Dana's fingers wound into messy blonde locks to press Alice closer, wanting more, desperately needing more.

Which was exactly what Alice gave her. Sweeping luxuriously and firmly into her, caressing the length of her clit then to kiss and pull lightly but so perfectly, again and again until Dana's body went rigid, lifting off the bed, muscles taut and glistening with sweat as she came.

Sinking onto the bed and sighing, Dana decided she felt much like melted chocolate. Warm, gooey, and utterly delicious. Wrinkling her nose at this mental description, Dana reached down to caress the soft blonde head resting in between her legs. "Come here," she requested in honeyed tones, lightly tugging on a pale hand. "I want to kiss you."

Reluctant to leave her current position and feeling the same blissful aftermath that Dana was experiencing, Alice deposited a pair of gentle and reverent kisses onto tanned thighs. Nuzzling the skin affectionately then sliding up in a languid movement and stretching her body on top of Dana's.

"Hi," Alice drawled, her voice throaty and filled with love.

"Hi," Dana echoed tenderly, blue eyes crinkling around the edges as her hands reached out and played with the ends of mussed blonde hair. Blushing hotly on realizing she was the reason why the hair was in such a state of disarray. Holding Alice's face in a careful grasp, caressing the lines of it, she moved up to meet their lips for an unhurried kiss that took its time to taste and discover and learn. When they parted with muted sighs from them both, Dana pulled Alice to her, holding her close and smiling when the blonde rested in the crook of her neck then kissed her pulse point. "I love you, Al," she whispered, hands dancing over pale skin. There was a pause then a tremulous note wavered in her voice as she went on. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," whispered Alice, sinking into Dana, losing herself in the feel and the touch.

Their lips met for a kiss which turned into another and another and another. Groaning in need, low and fervent, Dana's lips becoming more insistent in their exploration as skilled hands played over Alice's skin. Still, the kisses continued on, long and deep and never ending. Alice had never been kissed like this before. With one kiss seamlessly melting into the next, the longing and desire evident in every stroke, Dana's lips were hungry and they fed on her as if she were a rare delicacy. 

And those hands, warm and strong, traveled over her body to learn the curves and valleys until they knew nothing but. Leaving her trembling in desire, pressing eagerly upwards when they lightly played at the edges of her pussy. Moaning into Dana who kissed her still, endlessly and expertly.

Managing to somehow make herself pull away from Dana and her kisses, Alice gasped, voice hoarse and pleading, "Dana... please."

A solemn expression formed on bronzed features and Dana studied her for a long moment then leaned in, kissing Alice deeply, making the blonde tremble from desire and lose herself again in the sensation. Between kisses, Dana murmured against her, "Please what?"

Alice could feel the smile when Dana's lips pressed into hers and she couldn't believe how sexy she found that. To feel Dana's smile and unable to stop herself, she pulled the tennis player in and kissed her passionately. When the kiss ended, she returned the smile, growling into Dana, "You're a tease." Her hand fell to cup a tanned cheek and she moved back to look into blue eyes, dark like the ocean during a storm. "I want you inside me, Dana," she said, voice thick in desire. "Please."

Returning Alice's growl from earlier, Dana moved forward, kissing her with confidence then she ceased her playful torture and plunged two fingers inside, delighting in the gasp of pleasure she felt the blonde release at this action. Alice thrust her hips upwards impatiently, increasing the pace and rhythm that Dana easily matched. Their mouths still kissing, they were greedy and frantic, as if they could never have enough of each other.

Perhaps that was true. It definitely felt like it was.

The orgasm hit Alice hard and fast, her body tense and frozen, arching into Dana's, soothed by the burn of warm hands on her body, holding her close. She sank into the other woman and sighed against the soft lips covering hers, parting and relaxing into the simple joy of skin on skin. Smiling at the feel of fingers buried in her hair, caressing her gently, Alice chuckled.

"Dana," she drawled, unable to fight the playful smile that formed and she moved to peer at the brunette. "Where have you been hiding this side of yourself, huh?" Alice's brown eyes glowed with love and humor as she continued, lightly poking Dana in the side, laughing when the tennis player jumped at her touch. "Why didn't you tell me you're a bedroom dynamo?"

"I didn't know I was?" Dana responded, eyes wide, somewhat stupefied by this response. Unable to keep herself from asking, her face reddening, Dana said hesitantly, "So it was good?" Biting down on her bottom lip, she averted her eyes and added quickly, "I was good?"

"Good, no," Alice scoffed and Dana experienced a wave of anxiety. One that was immediately eased at the feel of pale hands cupping her face, lifting it up to meet their eyes. The love and desire present in Alice's gaze was more than evident and on seeing it, Dana's nerves disappeared. Moving forward for a slow and sensual kiss, Alice murmured, "You were amazing. No," she smiled softly, "you are amazing."

"I'm a stud," said Dana, giggling at the expression Alice wore when she said this. Which she had seen ahead of time in her mind which was exactly why she decided to say it. To see that silly look on the blonde's face.

Bemused and shaking her head, Alice tangled her fingers into brown hair and moved in for a slow kiss as she said, "Well, stud... do you want to have another go at it?"

A powerful kiss that led into another and another was the reply and Alice couldn't help but think the answer was affirmative. Especially when strong hands slipped down to squeeze her butt.

After all, what else could it mean?

\---

The Planet had changed drastically under Kit's management but despite the changes, it remained the chosen place for coffee drinking during the daytime hours. At night it became the chosen place for alcohol drinking, music listening, wild and sometimes comically bad dancing.

It being daytime, they were gathered to drink coffee. 

Happily gathered to drink coffee because today marked Bette's return to their fold and it was at Tina's request. Though she had seen her friends separately and in a group many times in the past weeks it had always been without Tina because of the promise she made. The promise to let Tina say when, where, and how they were to progress in their relationship.

Needless to say, Bette was thrilled when Tina called to ask if she would join them for coffee. Just coffee, she said wryly. But having just coffee with Tina was more than Bette could have ever hoped for. And so they were gathered, drinking coffee and chatting in that aimless way they favored.

Only not all of them were gathered. A certain shiny new couple was missing and being as this couple shared a very distinctive presence it was hard not to notice their glaring absence. Though they made a valiant effort not to discuss this fact, it was hard to fight the temptation once more than an hour had passed and the certain couple still had not made their promised appearance.

"They're getting it on," stated Shane like it was a known fact. Taking a long drink of her coffee, she lifted an eyebrow and drawled, "C'mon, you guys. Didn't you notice their old married sexual tension yesterday? I think they finally did it after we left."

"Old married sexual tension," repeated Bette, before releasing a sputtering laugh and almost choking on her coffee. Blushing and smiling gratefully when Tina gently rubbed her back. She met their eyes and held their gaze, breaking it only when the blonde moved her attention away from her. Turning to Shane now, Bette asked, "And what, may I ask, constitutes old married sexual tension?"

"Dunno," Shane shrugged and smiled slowly on seeing the interaction between Bette and Tina. "Hard to explain it. They're like an old married couple though. You know, sniping at each other as usual but you can totally see the love, right? But," the smile Shane wore turned mischievous, "they were so with the sexual tension too. See what I mean?"

"Old married sexual tension," laughed Bette, shaking her head. Despite Shane's odd and somewhat cryptic explanation, by just knowing Alice and Dana she was able to understand what the hairdresser meant with her description of their new relationship.

"Then I guess they're busy having lots of old married hot monkey sex," chirped Jenny, unable to prevent her feelings of triumph when Bette spat out her coffee at this remark. Damn she was good. The innocent schoolgirl look she naturally had fooled people every time.

Knowing full well, because of her roommate status precisely how uninnocent Jenny was, Shane chuckled and gave her a nod of approval. "We should call them," suggested Shane, an evil humored look appearing in her eyes. "It would totally be within our friend rights. They're over an hour late."

"I'll make the call," Bette volunteered and she paused in wiping the table clean from her spray of coffee. An impish smile tugged on her lips and she chuckled on seeing the question in Shane's gaze. "If they see it's me calling, they'll answer. We can't exactly say the same for you, Shane."

"Touche," rumbled Shane, rubbing her chin thoughtfully as she considered it. Then giving a graceful nod of her head, she drawled, "Make the call, Bette."

"You guys," Tina shook her head and sighed in affectionate good humor. "Don't you dare even bother them right now... just leave them alone. I think it's sweet."

"You tell them, baby girl," declared Kit in her usual powerful but charming tones, winding her way around them to take a seat in one of the two empty places meant for Alice and Dana. Smirking, she leaned towards Tina and then added, "But what are you telling them exactly?"

Laughing fondly, Tina patted Kit's hand and replied, "I'm telling them not to bother Alice and Dana. They claim that they want to call them because they haven't shown up for coffee yet."

"Claim, huh?" asked Kit, regarding Bette and the others with the suspicious look only an older sister could produce. "What's the real reason they wanna call those two?"

"They want to interrupt them having sex," Tina revealed gleefully, very much resembling an elementary school class tattletale who reveled in reporting wrongdoings to the teacher. 

"What?" Kit drew the word out. Turning to face Bette, Shane, and Jenny, she pointed a finger at them in a warning gesture. "You let those lovebirds be. It's not right to go on in and ruin a romantic moment like that on purpose. It's downright mean."

That said, Kit rose to her feet and headed towards the front order area where a line was beginning to develop for the famously strong Planet coffee. Soon as she left, the unspoken plan to get Tina on the side of calling Alice and Dana moved into the works. Bette cautiously scooted closer to Tina and tilting her head to one side, resting it in the palm of her hand as she smiled at the blonde.

"Tina?" said Bette a quiet smile in her voice which soon matched her face as hazel eyes turned in her direction. "Do you remember when we first started dating?"

An automatic return smile formed and Tina murmured, "Of course I do." She hesitated for a second then gave into her natural urges and reached out to lightly stroke the hand Bette rested her head in before pulling away, folding her arms over her chest. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well," Bette nudged Tina's foot gently with her own ducked her head down to meet their eyes. "Do you remember how many times Alice did exactly what we're now proposing to us?"

They watched as comprehension slowly dawned on Tina's features and a smile of wicked mischief tugged at her lips as she drawled, "Call them."

"All right, T!" whooped Shane, clapping her hands.

"Excellent," Jenny then added and she gave a thumbs up, sounding distinctly like a character from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure in the process.

"Lets call Dana's condo first, shall we?" chuckled Bette, retrieving her cell phone and flipping it open. Shooting a look of loving significance to Tina, she continued, "Since we do know for certain that they aren't in Alice's apartment."

"Yes, we know for certain," Tina nodded in affirmation, releasing an unwelcome and uncontrolled giggle which caused her to turn bright red in embarrassment.

Jenny started to say something but a sharp elbow from Shane immediately silenced her and they watched as a smile of total joy transformed Bette's normally solemn features. The brunette seemed to pause then made a timid move forward to clasp their hands. Rubbing the soft skin in a circular motion with her thumb, Bette peered up with wide dark eyes.

"That was the cutest thing I have ever heard," said Bette in a tender yet fierce declaration, her gaze wet from unshed tears. She hesitated a moment then brought Tina's hand up to her mouth and kissed it lightly before pulling away to move into a sitting position. Clearing her throat, she flashed a bright smile at Shane and Jenny. Holding up her cell phone, Bette lifted an eyebrow. "Shall I?" 

Exchanging looks with Tina who was attempting to recover from Bette's unexpected gesture of love, Jenny and Shane wore matching grins on seeing her smile and nod at them. Then all together, they chimed with an evil sort of merriment, "You shall!"

"Dana's condo first, I think," Bette murmured, pressing speed dial and waiting. She placed her cell phone down on the table after activating the speakerphone option so all might listen and make their own remarks to the missing couple. Instead of an answer, they were rewarded with ringing, ringing, and then more ringing.

Bette reached for the phone to end the call and try Dana's cell phone next when Tina stopped her, holding her hand and then saying in explanation, "I think this is a new message. Lets listen." On feeling the perplexed stares from everyone present, Tina sighed and rolled her eyes. "Al told me a story about Dana recording this. I guess the old message had Tonya talking on it and Dana wanted to change it. Anyway, if Dana is using the message that Alice spoke of this should be funny."

Though they were baffled at the idea an answering machine message could be all that funny, the rest of the women silently went along with Tina's request. Staring at the cell phone and waiting rather impatiently for the ringing to stop and the answering machine to finally pick up.

"This is Dana Fairbanks answering machine," Dana's voice floated out of the cell phone and she sounded like she usually did on the phone. Strange, stiff, and not at all like Dana. "I can't come to the phone right now but if you..." Laughter could be heard in the background and magically sounding like her normal self again, Dana asked in irritation, "What are you laughing at?"

"Your phone voice is so weird, Dane," came Alice's reply. It was slightly faint but it grew stronger when she then continued in a teasing parody of Dana talking, "This is Dana Fairbanks answering machine." There was a shriek and Alice was laughing hard. "Let me go! That tickles!"

"That's what you get for making fun of me," Dana said in the gloating tones of someone who had just conquered their enemy. "Now are you going to apologize for saying I have a weird phone voice?"

There was the sound of heavy breathing then Alice managed to gasp out another accurate imitation of Dana talking, "I can't come to the phone right now--" A high pitched squeal of delight sounded and the recording was cut off by the answering machine beep that signaled to leave your message.

Reaching for the cell phone, Bette ended the call and looked to the other women at the table and as soon as she did so they all burst into hysterical laughter. Wiping at her tears, Bette said through her laughs, "I officially rescind any doubts I might have had in regards to your old married sexual tension description, Shane. On hearing that I cannot think of a phrase that could be more fitting."

"I'm good," agreed Shane, smirking confidently.

"Too good," purred Jenny, bumping shoulders with her roommate.

"Now Jenny," said Bette in chastising tones, her lips quirked into a smile and she dialed Dana's cell phone as she spoke. "You realize that's an oxymoron. Nothing in life can ever be too good."

"I don't know," Jenny tilted her head thoughtfully and looked contemplative. "If food is too good you eat too much of it and you get too fat which then leads to less sex and too much masturbation."

The expression Bette wore in response to this remark told everyone gathered that if she had been drinking coffee once again it would have ended up sprayed on their table.

"I take it back," Shane drawled, leaning comfortably against Jenny. "You're too good."

"Not bad for a Keebler elf, huh?" quipped Jenny as she rested her arm onto the back of Shane's chair and grinned impishly at the other woman.

"Not bad at all," Shane chuckled.

"Keebler elf?" asked Tina, curiously intrigued. She looked confused yet somehow still very entertained at the ease of their interaction. 

"Oh," said Shane, turning her attention to an inquisitive Bette and Tina that were looking at her and Jenny expectantly. "I took Jen back to The Palms the other day, right? And this uber bull dyke hits on her but when Jen shot her down, she didn't take it too well. So she gets all puffed up, like a big man on campus, and says Jen looks like a Keebler elf anyway and she was never that interested."

Bette and Tina stared at them blankly.

Jenny and Shane stared back blankly.

Several more blank moments passed and Shane shrugged then offered by way of explanation, "I guess you had to be there." Diverting her gaze to Bette, she asked, "I bet Dane's cell is going into the voicemail, yeah?"

"Yeah," Bette sighed on hearing Dana's usual stiff voicemail message begin playing. She ended the call with a press of a button and wearing an expression of devilish intent, Bette put in the speed dial number for Alice. "But all is not lost," she declared, her dark eyes twinkling. "For those who know Alice also know what when it comes to her cell phone?" Tina and Shane immediately grinned like fools while Jenny appeared perplexed at Bette's statement. Seeing Jenny's confusion, Bette smiled at her as she listened to the phone ringing in her ear. "Alice never turns off her cell," informed Bette wryly. "I think she's gone through at least forty of those long lasting lifetime batteries already."

"Ohhh," said Jenny in understanding, nodding in acceptance.

At the sixth ring, Bette contemplated hanging up but as she was about to do just that, the phone picked up and she heard Alice say in a breathless exclamation, "Bette! What's up?"

Beaming widely and looking much like a marathon runner who had finally won the race, Bette activated the speakerphone option and set her cell phone down on the table. "Not much, Alice. I'm calling because we couldn't help wondering if you and Dana are in fact ever planning to fulfill your promise about meeting us for coffee. You do realize you're over an hour late?"

"Oh yeah, the coffee," Alice responded and she gasped halfway through the word coffee then the sound of rustling sheets filled their ears. "Sorry... we were just..."

"We don't require the gory details," countered Bette wryly. She paused to form a smile of delightful mischief and locking eyes with Tina, she then drawled, "Yet."

"Right," laughed Alice nervously before breaking into a moan. "Look... I love talking with you guys and seriously, no offense, but I really gotta go."

"Dane are you getting forceful now?" Shane couldn't help herself from making the joke again. It always got the best reaction from the tennis player. 

There was silence, then the rustling of sheets again, and at last Dana's voice, husky and low, answered with a droll, "Enjoy your coffee but I can safely say we have more important things to do."

And then there was only the dial tone.

Silence and the four friends looked at one another and Jenny wore her infamous shit eating grin then said in tones that reflected an ooh and ahh, "I think we've just encountered forceful Dana."

Tina, Bette, and Shane considered this then laughing, they nodded in agreement. Exclaiming for good measure, "Forceful Dana!" Which, of course, confused people in nearby tables but that hardly mattered. They were having a good time.

Which was what having coffee was really all about. 

\---

"I think you need to learn how to turn off your phone," Dana did a fair imitation of a menacing growl but the edge was taken off by the smile in her voice and the love in her eyes. Holding the phone up in front of Alice, she continued, "See, it's easy. Watch me... I'll show you how to do it so you don't get confused," she said in humorous inflection, grinning at Alice who rolled her eyes then crawled across the bed for a kiss. Moaning into the kiss, Dana pulled away and murmured against her lips as she pushed the power off button. "That's how you turn it off. Did you catch that, Al?"

"What? How to turn the phone off or how to turn you on?" asked Alice slyly, laughing when Dana shot her a sardonic look that told her she wasn't quite as amused. "Don't pout, I saw and I learned." Sitting up rigidly, Alice put a hand over her heart and recited, "From this day forth I, Alice Pieszecki, solemnly swear to turn off my phone before any and all acts of bedroom gymnastics commence."

"Don't call it that," protested Dana in a muted mumble, losing herself with astonishing ease upon receiving another deep kiss from Alice. She sank into the soft mattress of the bed, limbs tangling in the disarray of blankets, and sighing at the feel of the blonde's skin on her own. In between kisses, she whispered, "This isn't gymnastics... it's..." She trailed off in a moan, the fireworks in her head lighting and firing when skilled hands traveled the length of her body in a languid study.

"It's what?" Alice murmured into her, nuzzling her pulse point, and then giving into her urges and gently sucking on the tanned skin on display. "What is it, Dana?"

"It's so much more than that," said Dana, gasping and tangling her fingers into messy blonde hair and pulling Alice to her for a searing kiss. When they parted, foreheads resting together, lips only a breath apart, Dana continued, soft and earnest, "It's more."

Alice didn't respond and remained still but after a moment, she moved away to tuck her head under Dana's chin, burrowing into the tennis player's arms. "I know," she said in a bare whisper. "I don't think I've ever felt like this before." She was silent and then a caustic burst of laughter sounded and Alice said dryly, "Okay. That was a huge lie. I know I haven't ever felt like this before."

"Does it scare you?" questioned Dana, her tones comforting as her touch and her hands ran down pale skin in a tender caress.

"A little," Alice admitted in a tiny voice. "But it's also good. I mean, god," she laughed again, this time giddy and overjoyed. Pulling back in Dana's arms, she grinned in a simple yet no less powerful sign of happiness. "It's so good with us. I guess... uhm... how do I say it?" She nibbled thoughtfully on her lip, unaware as always of what this gesture did to Dana. "Oh! I have it!" exclaimed Alice, clapping her hands excitedly and bouncing on the bed. Dana arched an eyebrow in amusement and waited patiently for the explanation. "It's scary but good scary... the kind of scary that thrills you but doesn't make you afraid for your life. You know, like riding a rollercoaster."

"We're a rollercoaster?" said Dana skeptically.

"Uh huh," said Alice happily, nodding her head and lowering herself onto the tanned body. Leaning forward to tug lightly on an earlobe as her hands slipped down to explore the curves and valleys she was already beginning to learn so well. "A rollercoaster of love," she replied, halfway singing and sounding rather perverted in the process. 

"Such a dork," Dana mumbled, unable to help grinning into the kiss. 

The grin dissolved into a moan and Dana's body lifted off the bed, arching into Alice when seeking fingers found her wetness. Playing at the outside in a torturous tease while soft lips returned to hers for another kiss, thorough and earth shaking. She moaned again when Alice entered her, thumb lightly circling her clit while she did so. Though she was lost in sensation and desire, her head swimming from all that she felt Dana did manage to realize one very important thing.

She wanted Alice to feel the same way.

And so Dana's hands traveled down, swift and decisive in the mission, and she slid her fingers into the blonde. Unable to help the grin that formed once again on feeling Alice moan into her as her body rose up to meet her fingers. Their eyes locked and they stared deep, so deep they saw nothing but each other, the pace increasing, their bodies writhing together in a heated beat, almost like they were trying to crawl inside one another.

To be as close as they possibly could.

They came together with quiet shudders and a gasp. Alice collapsed on top of Dana, breathing heavy and once again tucking her head underneath the tennis player's chin. Moaning when elegant fingers slipped out of her and traced the length of her back in a comforting gesture.

For a long while there was the sound of their breathing, hard and shallow, trying to recover from what had just occurred. Then Dana said wryly, "I can admit when I'm wrong. Rollercoaster of love is pretty fitting when it comes to us."

"Told you," chuckled Alice happily. She moved back to peer into blue eyes and before they knew it, they were kissing again.

Then they were moaning, then they were touching, then they were groping, and then surprise oh surprise they were making love again. A pattern that would follow several times in the day.

One that never lost its appeal.

\---

7:26:37 p.m.

That was the exact time they officially decided to take a break from the nonstop rollercoaster that was them having sex and eat actual food for the simple purpose of replenishment. Of course, they were also eating the food naked and in bed. 

Dana sat leaning against the elaborate pile of pillows they arranged in front of the headboard with Alice sitting in between her legs, resting comfortably into her. A large and tangled mass of blankets covered them and a plate filled with various fruit and a small mountain of whipped cream was on the plate in Alice's lap. The blonde pushed the fruit about the plate impatiently looking for the perfect strawberry. A few moments passed before she found it and smiling at her success, Alice dipped it in whipped cream then turned to peer at Dana.

"Say ahhh," she said, eyes twinkling playfully and she held the strawberry up for consumption.

Instead of a reply, Dana rolled her eyes good naturedly and leaned forward, taking the fruit into her mouth. Slowly licking the whipped cream off of her lips once she had finished eating the strawberry, loving the mesmerized stare Alice rewarded her with at this action. 

"That was naughty, Dana," Alice finally breathed in response, her voice trembling and hoarse and she moved up to capture Dana's lips for a passionate kiss. 

"I know," chuckled Dana around Alice's lips, slowing the pace of the kiss down until it was enjoyable tugs and nibbles. "You didn't like?"

"Oh, I liked," said Alice, purring and moving to cover the tanned skin of Dana's neck with her lips. Kissing and licking the pulse point only to stop when elegant fingers held a cherry in front of her in offering. Eating the fruit, she mumbled around it, "Good."

"That's the point," Dana chuckled again and she deposited a light kiss onto the messy blonde head tucked in the crook of her neck. "You know," she began thoughtfully, "I think this has probably been the best day I've had in a really long time. I wish we could stay like this forever."

"Me too," murmured Alice. They were still and then Alice started squirming until she was out of Dana's arms then stretching across the bed, she placed the plate of fruit on the nightstand. Once she did this, Alice immediately burrowed back into the tennis player's embrace and they both sighed at the sensation. "Hey," Alice said with sudden insight, "that means you've finally surrendered to the sheer brilliance of my life plan. Ha!" she crowed in triumph. "I told you it was a good one."

"If you bothered to tell me your life plan included us being naked in bed instead of clothed and on the couch maybe I would have gone along with it from the start," said Dana with teasing observation.

"So it's my fault now?" grumbled Alice.

"Yup," Dana nodded her head solemnly though the mischievous twinkle in her eyes gave her true feelings away. "Entirely your fault."

"Uh huh," Alice drew the words out in a slow pronunciation, pulling away to lock their gazes. She studied the sculptured planes of the face in front of her and a reverent hand reached out to create a gentle path. A tiny frowned formed and Dana watched as Alice silently struggled with her thoughts only to surrender into instincts and lean forward to meet their lips in a kiss. Long, luxurious, and loving it took its time to show Dana everything Alice was feeling and when they parted, she wore an impish smile and murmured, "Every kiss before this was nothing by a waste of breath."

"Yeah?" asked Dana, tilting her head and smiling sweetly.

"Yeah," echoed Alice and she smiled against Dana's lips. To then capture them for a powerful kiss, easily slipping her tongue inside to taste the other woman, soon shifting her attention to nibble on her bottom lip. Her smile widening at Dana's low moan and sliding down the tanned body, Alice continued playfully, "And every I love you was just a whoop-de-doo."

Dana gasped again, soft and surprised, her fingers instinctively tangling in Alice's hair when the blonde disappeared under the blankets and gently pushed her legs apart. And although she had experienced this one, two, three, four... oh god, how many times? Dana didn't know exactly, her mind was swimming and her thoughts were a jumble. She thought maybe the number was in the double digits. Perhaps a thirteen or fourteen but she couldn't be sure. 

No matter how many times she experienced this, be it thirteen, fourteen, one hundred and two, or even a thousand, Dana didn't think she would ever be able to control the reaction she instantly had upon knowing who was doing this to her. Knowing it was Alice resting in between her thighs, knowing it was Alice inside her, knowing it was Alice sucking on her clit, knowing it was Alice... her Alice... making her come over and over again until she felt she couldn't come anymore. Only to then prove her wrong with a mischievous smile and a strategic kiss of her lips and lick of her tongue.

Nothing had ever been like this and nothing would ever be like this and though this scared Dana it excited her endlessly because she had always secretly thought herself unable to be like this. She somehow felt that she didn't have the capacity to ever experience a great epic love for someone and she certainly didn't think that she could ever have sex like this. Sex that was mind blowing and earth shattering, making her lose all grip on reality.

But here she was, doing just that.

And it was the knowledge that Alice, whom she had loved since the day they first met, was the cause of it brought Dana shattering and shaking over the brink each and every time. Because she never thought she would have this and she never thought she would have it with Alice. Not once did she allow herself to imagine what it would be like to have this with Alice. Simply due to the fact that Dana never thought it would happen and to think on it while knowing she couldn't have it... have Alice... was too impossibly painful. 

Now she had it, now she had Alice, and now Dana had never been happier in her life. Her body frozen, muscles taut, skin beaded with sweat, she arched off the bed, fingers reaching frantically to entwine with pale ones as she came long and hard.

Sinking boneless onto the bed, Dana released a quivering sigh, body and mind shaking. A tired though joyfully sated smile forming at the sensation of Alice slowly moving up her body after leaving her customary goodbye kisses on tanned thighs. Messy blonde locks peeked out from under the blankets and Alice wore a sheepish expression that couldn't begin to compare with the love shining in her dark eyes. Folding her arms over Dana's chest and resting her chin on them, she wore a goofy grin and she halfway sang her sincere declaration, "Never knew what I missed before this."

Several minutes later the count increased from thirteen, fourteen, one hundred and two, or a thousand and Dana couldn't honestly have been more pleased.

\---

For the second day in a row they were happily gathered for coffee and this time Bette had vowed to refrain from taking drinks when Jenny got that strange gleam in her eyes. She didn't find spitting out her drink all over a table to be the most dignified action and she hardly wanted it to become a habit. 

"You sure they're gonna show?" asked Shane in a skeptical rumble, lazily pushing aside her mass of hair and slumping further into her seat to finish off her shot of coffee in a gulp.

"They said they would," Bette replied with a sigh. Somehow unable grasp the fact that they were all gathered in anticipation for Alice and Dana of all people to show up. Then again, she reasoned. You didn't really know how precious something was until was gone. That included the easy humor and happiness their friends always brought with their simple presence. Bette sighed again, shaking her head and trying to ignore the natural line of thought that led her to the blonde she was now softly smiling at. "Alice promised you, didn't she, T?"

"She did," announced Tina, smiling happily and nodding in affirmation. Bette couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Once upon a time she had been able to make Tina look like that. 

"Who did what?" 

The sound of Alice's eternally sardonic tones floated over them and as a group, the four women peered up at her. The blonde wore a curious look on her face that was practically the norm when it came to her, a pair of throwback 1970's style sunglasses, and a sharp brown suit that had the same retro feel to it as the glasses. All in all, she looked stupendously attractive. Particularly when you included the natural glow of contentment she seemed to be carrying with her these days.

"Hey Al," Shane rumbled, giving the journalist a slow once over. When the blonde settled in the chair next to her, she reached out to tap on the sunglasses and grinned. "Aren't you big pimpin'?"

"I know, right?" said Alice, rolling her eyes and waving her hands about. "It's stupid but you know, I have to attempt a look of semi professionalism since I haven't seen my editor in like... two weeks and his undies are in a bunch about that mayonnaise article I'm supposed to be researching." 

"Which you haven't?" supplied Bette, chuckling fondly.

"Bingo," drawled Alice, taking off her sunglasses to place them on the table. "Actually, that's a lie," Alice continued, looking contemplative. "I have done the research. I just haven't typed it in up article format yet. Which is my job... hence the problems with my editor."

"Where's Dana?" asked Tina, looking for the tennis player.

"She had to go see her new agent," Alice responded easily. She twisted around in her seat and catching the eye of one the members of The Planet staff, she held up three fingers that signaled her usual order of coffee. Turning back to face her friends, she shrugged then said, "They have to work out some legal stuff when it comes to Tonya and those endorsement deals she got for Dana."

"Ouch," Jenny remarked, wincing. "That doesn't sound fun."

"As Dana said, and I quote," Alice wore a huge grin and cleared her throat. Then she did a strangely accurate impersonation of Dana that was still very exaggerated. "Borrrrring, Al! This is going to be so borrrrrring! If boring was a galaxy this meeting would be at the center of it!" 

"She actually said that?" Tina laughed.

Facing Tina with an expression of utmost solemnity, Alice said drolly, "No." There was silence then Tina whapped at her and she squealed, twisting in her seat. "What? I was just teasing!" Alice scooted her chair away from Tina and looked at Bette to then say in a mock whisper, "Watch out. You're sitting next to her and make an easy target. But don't worry, if she gets violent I'll help you. Pregnant ladies are bound to be easy to take down." 

"I appreciate that, Alice," said Bette, chuckling and shaking her head.

"No problem," said Alice and she smiled at The Planet staffer who was arriving with her order of coffee. "Thanks, hon," she drawled, reaching for the coffee and taking a sip. "So," Alice murmured around the cup, smiling against it as she drank. "Are you bitches ever going to apologize for interfering with my day of many multiple orgasms?"

Upon hearing the words multiple and orgasms, all four women seemed to spring forward in their seats with interest. Chuckling in satisfaction at this reaction, Alice drank more coffee and reveled in her fabulous new sex life.

"How many multiple orgasms?" Tina was the first to pose a question, mostly because Tina was the one who, other than Dana, felt most at ease with Alice. 

"Hrm," Alice frowned thoughtfully and appeared to be counting in her head. Squinting slightly, she faced the other blonde and said, "Twenty two...? No... I think it was twenty three. Yeah," she nodded, looking stupendously pleased. "Definitely twenty three."

Shane released a wolf whistle. "Wow, Miss Dana."

"Yeah... wow... how, I mean..." Jenny trailed off, appearing as if she wanted to ask specifics but was lost as to how to correctly word what she was really curious about.

"Dana's that good?" questioned Bette, lifting an eyebrow in curiosity. Somehow managing to look utterly composed and classy even as she asked for the details of someone else's sex life.

"Yup," replied Alice smugly, dropping her head in a nod and smiling around her coffee cup as she took a drink. Clearing her throat and putting the cup down, she continued, "I'm talking dynamo proportions here, people. I think it was all those years in the closet, right? They created this great storehouse of sexual fantasies for her to work with." She opened her mouth to say more then snapped it shut. "Fuck," she muttered angrily.

"What, Al?" asked Tina in concern, touching her arm lightly.

"Huh?" Alice blinked, looking up at Tina's worried expression and shook her head wryly. "It's no big, T. I just... look, we can't talk about this anymore, okay? You guys know how Dane is. It would really embarrass her. I've said way too much already."

"Al, it's cool. I mean, it totally reflects well on her," offered Shane in soothing tones.

"Shane, come on. You know better than that," said Alice sardonically. She gave the brunette a significant look then continued, "Remember the morning after with her soup chef?" 

"Oh yeah," Shane murmured, recalling it and smirking. "Man," she chuckled and shook her head. "Dane needs to stop being embarrassed over shit most people would brag about."

"I'm lost," stated Bette with dry humor. Turning to Tina, she asked, "Are you lost? Because I am utterly and completely lost with no atlas anywhere in sight."

Tina smiled sweetly for a response and Jenny chimed in, "I too am without an atlas but I doubt we'll be given one anytime soon, Bette."

"Yeah," laughed Alice and her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Sorry to say but you guys are stuck traveling that lost highway because there's no way I am ever going to explain."

"Shane?" prompted Bette, immediately looking to the hairdresser.

"Uh uh," Shane held up her hands in a gesture of supplication. "I'm neutral like the Swiss. There's not gonna be a peep coming from me, man."

"I want to know," whined Tina, sounding much like a petulant child. Everyone instantly turned their attention to her at this and she blushed a dark red from head to toe. Looking wide eyed to Bette, she said in a mortified whisper, "Did I just whine?"

"You did," Bette returned the whisper, grinning widely.

"That is so much worse than giggling," declared Tina, dropping her head on Bette's shoulder as her friends laughed at these words. The brunette hesitated then softly stroked her hair and she sighed in enjoyment at the familiar touch. "Giggling and now whining. What's next? High pitched shrieks? This is not fun, you guys," Tina groaned heavily.

"Wait until you start getting uncontrollably horny. I hear that's a real problem for a lot of pregnant ladies," said Alice, wiggling her eyebrows salaciously.

Tina turned even redder.

"Oh no," Alice laughed and she tilted back in her chair, pointing at her friend. "Don't tell me that's already been happening to you, T? And I left you alone in an apartment filled to the brim with porn."

"Extremely bad porn," Tina moaned miserably, dropping her head onto the table and allowing Bette to massage her shoulders, relaxing at the touch.

Grinning at this, Alice started to reply but stopped upon seeing her friends good humor and comfortable body language vanish. Bette, Tina, and Shane all wore grim looks on their faces while Jenny appeared generally perplexed. Alice frowned at this and was about to ask what was going on when she felt a soft hand clasp her shoulder.

She looked up and locked eyes with Gabby Deveaux.

"Alice," said Gabby, her voice warm and inviting as always. A charming smile of natural ease spreading on her features. "I've been wanting to see you for awhile but you're never around."

"Yeah?" asked Alice and she now looked inordinately uncomfortable, shifting in her seat and darting her gaze to her friends. "Why is that?"

Effortlessly reaching to cup Alice's chin in her hand, Gabby leaned down and murmured, "The same reason we always come back to one another, Alice. We connect. You know that."

Several moments of silence passed and Alice remained frozen, her face held by Gabby, and her eyes staring up at her. Then Shane lost all patience and delivered a sharp kick to the blonde who yelped and jumped in her seat. Scowling as she rubbed her leg, Alice realized just why Shane had done this and gave her friend a grateful look before turning to Gabby.

"I won't do this with you again, Gabby," said Alice sharply, peering up at the other woman and continuing to rub her sore leg. "Anyway, I'm seeing someone right now and it's pretty serious."

"When aren't you seeing someone?" inquired Gabby, scoffing at the statement that she saw as nothing more than a lame cop out. "And please," she drew the words out in derisive tones. "How serious can anything really be with you? We both know you're not that type." She pressed forward to put only a breath between them and she rested heavy hands on the blonde's shoulders. "You're meant for a good time, Alice. And isn't that what we have?"

Alice's face fell and she seemed to be absorbing Gabby's words and taking them to heart. Something that utterly enraged Tina and she started to rise to her feet with a good deal of difficulty but was stopped by the tug of Bette's hand. Turning to the other woman in fierce annoyance, she started to yank her hand away but saw the matching anger in Bette's dark gaze. The brunette nodded her head and Tina followed with her eyes to where Bette was currently focused. In seconds she wore the same expression as Bette and Shane who had seen the person approach first. Their faces were relieved but nonetheless severe because of Gabby's unwelcome presence.

"There you are, baby," Dana announced her presence by pushing past Gabby and treating like nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Wrapping her fingers around the other woman's wrists to pull them far from Alice, she gave them a tight and measured squeeze by way of a warning. Then Dana released her hold on Gabby in the same manner you would a rabid animal. Focusing on Alice and smiling tenderly. "I missed you," she murmured quietly, crouching down so she could look at Alice who had her head ducked low, avoiding her gaze.

"Dana," whispered Alice shakily. Finding strength when the tennis player held her hand, entwining their fingers. Lifting her head slightly, she looked desolate and heartbroken. "I'm sorry..."

Smiling sadly, Dana stroked Alice's cheek and moved forward for a kiss of quiet reassurance. Meeting their foreheads as she said, "There's nothing to be sorry about." Moving up from her crouched position, Dana gracefully sat in the empty chair next to Alice and wrapped an arm around the back of her seat. Seeing that Gabby had not left she regarded the woman with contempt. Flashing back to one of her favorite memories of Alice, she asked, "Why are you still here?"

"The tennis player," stated Gabby incredulously. Shaking her head, she laughed then moved her hands about in a gesture of disdain. "What happened, Alice? Did the naturally enormous dating pool for bisexuals suddenly shrink? Is that why you've reduced yourself to fucking your friends?"

These words had an instantaneous effect. Alice shrank within herself, Dana darkened and her face filled with fury, Tina looked ready to attempt standing again, Bette appeared more than willing to let Tina try just that, Shane wore a veiled look of hostility, and Jenny was confused yet very pissed off.

Rising to her feet, very much reflecting the power and natural ease she carried from being a professional athlete, Dana locked eyes with Gabby. "You're going to leave now," she said steadily, not allowing the other woman to look away. Taking a step forward, Dana held her gaze and said lowly, "You're going to leave and you're not going to look back and you're not ever going to come near Alice again. Do you understand me?"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" ridiculed Gabby, lifting an eyebrow. "Because I'm not--" She stopped mid sentence when Dana's hand snatched her wrist and held it in a tight grip that seemed to be increasing exponentially by the second. "Let go," she hissed, trying to shake herself free.

"Do you understand me?" Dana repeated, squeezing harder and staring Gabby down, refusing to let go until she got the reply she wanted. When Gabby shook her hand again, flailing it in a futile attempt to rid herself of Dana's hold, she let her fingernails dig slightly into soft skin. "Do you understand me?" she growled the words out this time.

"Fine! I understand!" Gabby declared in a strange mix of desperation and irritation. 

For those present, it was as if Gabby wasn't entirely sure how far she could push Dana with her antics and didn't know how scared she should be of the athlete. Shaking herself free, as the tennis player had released her grip at these words, Gabby scowled and stalked away unceremoniously.

Dana watched Gabby walk away for a moment then turned back to Alice who was looking up at her like she had never seen her before. Then an enormous smile spread across her pale features and she bounced up from her seat to wrap her arms around Dana's neck to pull her in for a kiss. Their friends watched on with impossibly large grins and they all came to the same wonderful epiphany.

And what was the epiphany? Oh, nothing much. Just that thanks to Dana the awful excuse for a human being that was Gabby Deveaux didn't ever have a prayer when it came to getting with Alice again. Which was something to grin about indeed. 

\---

"How did your meeting go with Frank?" asked Alice, her voice overly chipper just as it had been for the past fifteen minutes. She pushed opened the door to her apartment, walking inside.

A small frown lining her face, Dana shut the door and silently observed Alice who was searching through her various file cabinets for notes on her mayonnaise article. When they parted ways with their friends, Dana suggested they share the ride to Alice's apartment since both of their upcoming meetings were scheduled for noon and Tina was spending the rest of the day with Bette. That and she wanted to talk with the blonde about what had occurred with Gabby.

Something Alice must have been aware of because she spent the entire drive making nonstop small talk and preventing the topic from even attempting being broached. Dana knew Alice was scared but they really did have to talk about Gabby and the sooner the better.

"The meeting was fine," said Dana, slightly exasperated. The manners that had been drilled into her since childhood refused to let just her ignore Alice's question outright. "We can't really do much more with Wayne's input though," she murmured, making reference to her longtime friend and lawyer.

"What does Frank think when it comes to the contracts?" Alice immediately pursued, looking intently through her files. Before Dana could start to reply, she rattled off another question, "I mean, could he give you an idea of what Tonya's position is legally as to the endorsements?"

"Jesus, Al! You know, I really don't care about Frank, Tonya, or the stupid endorsements," Dana spat the words out in before she could stop herself, frustration finally getting the best of her. On seeing Alice's body language grow rigid and tense, Dana instantly felt guilt ridden. "I'm sorry," she groaned, moving forward to hesitantly touch the journalist and wincing when pale shoulders became more tense at the contact. "I didn't... I'm not good at this kind of thing... but Al, we need to talk."

"I thought we were," said Alice, scoffing in quiet irony. "Because the opening of mouths for the forming of words and the vocalization of said words usually equals talking. For most people, at least. I guess to be proper good and politically correct liberals we shouldn't leave out our sign language talking brothers. Plus it'd be dangerous to piss them off. They could poke and prod us to create their own specialized form of cussing."

Though she knew she shouldn't, Dana couldn't help but smile at Alice's joke. Part of the charm Alice held for Dana was the simple reality that no matter what, she always found the other woman funny. Dana adored the journalist's sense of humor but as much as she loved it, there was no doubt it was also the source of more than a few problems when it came to Alice.

Namely that she hid behind it. She used it to mask her insecurities and her fears, to present an image of a laid back nothing can phase me type of person. And it did work on most everyone. Hell, it worked on her closest friends most of the time. But there was no way it would work on Dana. Not anymore. Not after everything they had already shared and were beginning to share in every new step they took in their relationship.

And Alice knew that. Just like she knew her joke wouldn't serve its usual purpose because she knew Dana wouldn't be put off. This wasn't going to be nicely covered with a sardonic line and a charming smile, assuring all was well. Not when Dana knew things weren't. Not when the reason she knew was because she knew Alice. Knew her better than anyone else did right now and if they both got their wish, would continue to know her better than anyone else for the rest of their lives.

"We need to talk about Gabby," said Dana, soft and gentle. She turned Alice around to cup her chin and lift her head so their eyes would meet. "We need to talk about your relationship with her, Al."

Brown eyes became impossibly wide at these words and Alice shook her head, unbearably distraught. "There's not any relationship, Dana! Not anymore... I promise," Alice halfway sobbed her declaration and then moved to touch Dana as if to give a physical reassurance what she said was the truth but stopped abruptly. Clearly thinking her touch might no longer be welcome. Instead, Alice wrapped her arms around herself, hugging her body, biting her lip, to much resemble a frightened child. "I love you." Turning to look plaintively at Dana, she whispered again, "I love you."

Horrified on causing this sudden bout of insecurity in the blonde, Dana rushed forward to capture Alice's lips for an searing kiss that was ardent and insistent in the emotions it contained. Tongue seeking entrance, pouring all the love, lust, and longing she felt into every stroke to explore deeper yet. Only allowing their lips to part for need of air but even then still licking and nibbling a path across Alice's jaw until she reached her left ear. Pulling her in close, fingers toying with the short and messy hair, Dana said in husky tones not to be disputed, "And I love you... so much. More than anyone."

"I don't love Gabby," said Alice in a broken hush, reaching desperately for Dana, her fingers caressing the tanned planes of her face in memorization. "I love you, Dana. She and I are through. I would never cheat on you. Never. I--"

"Al, oh god... Al, I know that," interrupted Dana quickly, cutting the journalist off with another fervent kiss. One that left Alice moaning and quivering in her arms. Unable to leave the soft lips simply because she was unable to think of a more effective way to reassure the other woman she knew the depth of their feelings. That she knew Alice would never betray her like that, could never betray her like that. Saying in between the breathless kisses, short and intense, "I know you wouldn't do that to me. Especially not with Gabby of all people. I know that."

"Then why?" Alice gasped the words out, moaning into Dana's mouth and losing her train of thought when the tennis player sucked on her tongue and pulled their bodies closer yet. "Why do we need to talk?" she moaned, low and guttural, full of need.

"Gabby has some sort of weird hold over you, that's why," replied Dana, pulling her mouth painfully away from Alice's to rest her forehead on the blonde's shoulder. Trying to ignore the sensation of soft hands caressing her back and warm breath against her skin when Alice tilted her head. Sighing contentedly at the press of lips on the top of her head.

"She doesn't have a hold over me," protested Alice, hiding her face in Dana's neck. Though the words sounded weak, even to her own ears.

"I wish that was true but you and I both know it isn't," murmured Dana as she wrapped her arms around Alice in loving reassurance. The journalist seemed to shrink in her arms at these words and Dana released a wordless sigh. She hated doing this to Alice, making her feel this way if only for a moment but it had to be done. They had to talk about this. "I know you love me, Al," she continued kindly. "I know that and I don't doubt it, not for a second. And I'm not jealous over Gabby, I don't think you'd ever cheat on me with her. I promise you that. But we still need to talk about her."

"Why?" asked Alice in that same tiny voice that broke Dana's heart.

"Because," Dana sighed again and smiling wryly, she rocked Alice to and fro, kissing her messy blonde locks. "I have to tell you something." She pulled back and revealed she wore an expression of utter solemnity then stated, "I fucking hate Gabby Deveaux."

Alice's reaction was exactly as Dana had hoped, she burst into enchanting laughter and a wide smile of happiness spread on her features, lighting her beautifully. Darting forward for a brief kiss, she said against Dana's lips, "That's not exactly a well kept secret, Dane. I sort of already knew that. Me and most of the population of West Hollywood."

Returning the smile and the kiss, Dana held Alice's face tenderly in her hands as she went on, "One of the biggest reasons I hate her is how she treats you, Al. It's also one of the reasons I hated myself for never telling you how I felt." Brown eyes went wide and the journalist began to defend Dana against herself but seeing this coming, Dana stopped it with the initiation of a slow kiss. When they parted, their breathing shallow, Dana said hoarsely, "She makes you feel like you're not wanted. Like you're not cool or good enough for her and that's just not true, Al. God... nothing could be further from the truth. She's not good enough for you, she never was," Dana said in a rush and seeing the skepticism quietly holding onto the pale features she did the only thing she thought would convince Alice of the truth. She kissed her. Kissed her hard, long, and powerfully. Pouring everything she was and everything she felt for Alice into that kiss. Separating their lips with groans from them both to say in tones rough from desire, "I want you, Al. I want you enough that sometimes it scares me." Unable to take the separation any longer, Dana dove back in, seizing Alice's lips for more kisses. Pushing her tongue for entrance, greedily tasting and taking all that the writer had to offer to make it her own. "I love you," Dana moaned ardently, foreheads resting together as they breathed heavily. Moving forward for another kiss, nibbling and tugging on the bottom lip that often preoccupied her so. "I love you more than anyone I've ever loved in my life."

To be honest, Dana wasn't quite sure where this sudden burst of confidence and conviction was coming from. At the same time, she couldn't help but revel in it because it so clearly aided her in her task of showing Alice all she felt. She loved that Alice could make her feel this way, that she could bring out this sense of self assurance in her that before now, Dana had only experienced on the tennis court. Maybe it was because she knew it was safe to do that with Alice. To try new things and to explore previously hidden parts of her personality because Alice would never disparage her attempts at doing so. 

Somehow or another, their kisses had propelled them through the apartment, backing into the bedroom where Dana spun Alice around. Kicking the door shut with a leg and pressing the blonde against it, hands on either side of Alice's head and kissing her. Slipping her tongue past pink lips. Eager and seeking in her passion, drunk from the overwhelming need to prove and show and reveal in each caress, stroke, suck, pull, and tug how very much she loved Alice. How much she wanted her. Wanted so much that yes, god yes, it scared her at times. Dana wasn't sure it was right to want someone enough it felt like you would die without their touch but that's how she felt when it came to Alice. Though it was unbelievably scary she wouldn't change it because she knew that Alice felt the same. And she loved that. She loved sharing that feeling of frightening exhilaration with the blonde since it was proof they were connected in their wants and desires. In their love.

Their foreheads rested together and brown eyes were dark enough in their desire they almost seemed black to Dana. She moved forward, lips a breath apart, teasing and torturing as she said, voice thick like honey, "I want you, Al." Grasping pale a hand in her own, Dana led it expertly down, and sensing the hesitation when they reached their destination point she then helped long fingers to slip inside. "Do you feel that?" Dana gasped, pushing herself into Alice, lips against her jaw and whispering in her ear. "Can't you feel how much I want you? God," she moaned and quivered when the fingers sprang to life, pulling slightly out to caress her aroused clit. "I want you so much."

Alice froze at these words and for an awful moment, Dana's heart sank and she thought she had been wrong. That she had said the wrong thing, had done the wrong thing. Then she heard a soft sob and she felt hot lips on her skin pressing a desperate path upwards. Finally seizing her lips in a deep kiss and moving them stumbling forward until they pressed down into the bed, Alice on top of Dana, fingers buried further inside her, far as they could go, moving in a fervent exploration.

"I love you, Al," Dana groaned, tossing her head back and tangling her fingers into blonde hair, pulling Alice impatiently to her for a hard kiss. Growling into it, responding to both the intensity of the embrace and the look in endless brown eyes. Feral and wanting. "I love you," she declared in tones that were not ever to be argued.

There was no response from Alice, at least not a verbal one. Her brown eyes glowed and her lips returned for a kiss of slow intensity, building and tasting, over and over again, while her fingers... oh, they plunged deep. They teased and they touched and they tugged and they gave Dana what she wanted, what she loved, and when she came, her body taut and arched, sweating in the clothes neither of them bothered to remove, they stayed right where they were. Buried deep in her folds, content in their place inside her that was warm, wet, and loving.

Then Dana moved, reluctantly pulling Alice's hand away and moaning when pale fingers left their new home. Sitting up on the bed, she unceremoniously removed the journalist's clothing. Flinging the brown jacket aside and deftly unbuttoning her shirt and pants in mere seconds. She departed with her own clothes in the same manner and when they were finally naked, Dana wore a smile pure in its simple joy and pressed their bodies together. Entangling their limbs and sighing at the feel of soft skin on her own, sliding upwards and pushing Alice gently into the bed as she captured her lips for a kiss. Seeking entrance and gaining it with a moan to match her own, limber fingers winding their way into wavy brown hair to keep her close.

Staying held a great deal of appeal for Dana but not nearly as much as leaving and pulling away to create a groan of protest from Alice, she smiled into pale skin. Kissing and caressing her way down the length of the body she loved more than any other that happened to belong to the person she loved more than any other, Dana delighted in the memory of this being done to her. Wanting more than anything to bring Alice the same overwhelming pleasure and feeling of love with her touch.

Nudging Alice's legs apart with hands and head, releasing a soft whoosh of breath on overheated thighs and smiling at the tremble she received, Dana kissed the skin reverently. Her hands reaching up, threading instinctively with Alice's and blue eyes lifted to lock with brown as she moved down for the first lick. Slow and long and deliberate, opening the outer folds and thrilling in the reflexive shakes of enjoyment her action caused. Their fingers threaded apart more out of necessity than anything else and Dana gently but expertly gripped bird like hips. Moving them just a little more, to make more room to maneuver and lowered her head again. 

Stroking, licking, kissing, and nibbling. Changing her pace and rhythm, putting Alice at ease only to then alter how fast and how hard she licked the clit, how far she pushed her tongue inside, how she kissed the outer folds, nuzzling and caressing. Over and over again, teasing in the long strokes and slow circular path encouraged in the squirm of hips and the anxious press of fingers onto the back of her head. And when she felt Alice was close enough, Dana made her move and lapped at her like a cat with its milk, slowing and speeding up again, changing the pace enough to make the blonde sob her name in delicious frustration. 

"Dana," Alice moaned, arching into her, begging for release.

And god help them both, Dana stopped. She stopped and she looked up and she met their eyes and she held their gaze and she said soft and tender, "I love you so much."

Then she started again and Alice came... she came and she came... my god, how was it possible she could come that much? But it had to be possible because here she was, doing just that. Though, honestly, how couldn't she come that much? And who could blame her really? The look on Dana's face, that look of total love and adoration, she had never seen someone look at her like that.

Especially not before going down on her.

Her breathing slowed and Alice finally felt like she was all right, that she would miraculously survive the sheer intensity that had become their love making. That was when Dana made her way up her body to nuzzle her neck, hiding there and Alice could feel from the heat of the tennis player's skin how hard she was blushing. Which Alice found impossibly adorable. The woman who had just given her the hardest and longest orgasm she ever experienced was now blushing because of it. 

It was so endearing and so very Dana that Alice giggled, burying her fingers in wavy brown hair and kissed Dana's lips, face, and every available inch of her until eventually the other woman looked into her eyes. When she did, Alice broke into a smile wide enough to threaten breaking her face and moved in, kissing her lips and murmuring, "I love you, Dana. I love YOU so much."

And she really did. Neither of them doubted that or Dana's love for Alice. To doubt it was nearly impossible after what they had just shared and neither of them felt up to such an exhausting task. But with rest and a short nap they did feel up to making love one, two, three, and four more times.

Resulting in them both being incredibly late for their noon meetings.

\---

The noon meeting had transformed into the three o'clock meeting for Dana but luckily for her, Frank and Wayne weren't particularly annoyed by the delay. In fact, they said it gave them more time to go over the endorsement contracts along with anything else remotely legal that Tonya put her name on.

Unfortunately this extra time wasn't enough for them even with their immense experience in deciphering legal contracts. Which meant nothing good for Dana when she arrived. Something she realized the moment she saw their grim expressions.

"She's going to screw me over, isn't she?" Dana demanded, speaking the moment that Frank's secretary exited the room to leave them in private. "The contracts she made are air tight just like she told me that they were."

Wayne visibly flinched at this remark and looked at Dana with some surprise. Their parents were the best of friends and as such, they had known each other for years. Being an eight year age difference between them, Wayne and Dana always had the comforting relationship of an older and younger sibling. For the longest time it was Wayne alone who helped Dana deal with the horrible secret she had made into her sexuality. But despite knowing her since she was a toddler, he couldn't help but be surprised on witnessing the commanding presence Dana only carried on the tennis court suddenly emerge in her every day life. He was surprised, yes, but not enough that he couldn't see it was a good thing. Still, it would take some getting used to.

"We've gone over everything with a fine tooth comb," said Wayne, his voice soft and precise. Nervously adjusting his wire rim glasses, he shuffled the papers and looked through them as a sigh escaped his lips. "It's not good," he finally said. Looking up to meet her eyes, he continued, "There's no wiggle room in them, Dane. I can't get you out of them... the only thing I can do, and what we have been doing," Wayne nodded at Frank who wore a matching solemn look on his features, "is to come up with a feasible buyout proposal. Which would be where we offer to buy Tonya out of her contractual manager fees and residuals in the endorsements she gained for you by offering her a large lump sum all at once. We've drawn up the paperwork but we left the payment issue open until we could speak with you. Because we weren't sure how much you were willing--"

"Give her whatever she wants within reason," said Dana calmly. "I want her out of my life and as long as she doesn't completely bankrupt me in the process, I'm fine with however we have to do that." Wayne nodded at this and muttering to himself, he gathered the papers to head out of the room no doubt to start writing up the new contracts. "Wayne?" He paused in his walk to turn and look at Dana, his brow furrowing in concern. Biting nervously on her bottom lip, Dana cleared her throat and feeling grateful when Frank clearly turned his attention elsewhere to grant them an appearance of privacy. "My parents can't know about this... not yet. I'm not even sure how I can start to explain this mess to them and until I do, I think it's better they just don't know." Turning dark red as she recognized who she was telling this to, Dana sputtered anxiously, "Not that I think you would tell! Because I know you wouldn't since there's that lawyer/client confidentiality thing and I know you wouldn't ever break it. I'm saying, in general, I can't have people know. Office people who gossip and might work at the club and ugh, god, what am I saying?" Dana groaned pathetically, dropping her head into her hands.

Smiling crookedly, Wayne pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and inwardly relaxed. A sudden commanding presence off the court or not this was Dana, the girl he considered his cute little sister and like any good older brother all he wanted to do was to help her and protect her. "No worries," he said in the soothing tones that always put her at ease. "I will make sure all lips involved are sealed." Wayne made a zipping motion with his hand across his mouth then grinning goofily, he exited the office to quietly close the door. 

"I like him," Frank stated and Dana looked into his warm gaze then returned his smile. Carefully rising from his chair, revealing signs of his seventy one years, he crossed over to Dana and sank into the comfortable chair next to hers. "Most lawyers are in it for money, fame, or power. Then some are in it for the secret ego boost they get for helping those who can't help themselves or some bullshit like that. And then there are the lawyers like your friend there," drawled Frank humorously. "The ones who are in it because they love and understand endless complicated lines of jargon far more than human beings. Ah," he sighed wistfully, leaning back into his seat. "I sing the song of the adorable class nerd." Grinning at Dana, he lifted a gray eyebrow and clucked, "I've dated several, you know. They were such tremendous fun because they weren't closeted because they didn't want people to know they were gay. They were closeted because they just didn't want to know people." 

"What was it like... being gay back then?" asked Dana, unable to help voicing the question. She turned red and started to take it back, thinking it too personal but Frank smiled and patted her hand in a gentle reassurance, putting her worries to rest. 

When Alice first told her about the agent who dealt exclusively in gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered clients Dana found herself immediately skeptical. Thinking there had to be some evil ulterior motive for doing such a thing but then she met Frank and any suspicions disappeared. What struck Dana the most in that first meeting though, and the reason she decided to make him her new agent, was his answer to her question about the reason behind his selective client base.

"We have our own stores, our own salons, our own neighborhoods, our own lawyers, and our own political organizations," Frank had said in a slow drawl, eyes glowing with humor. "Why the hell not have our very own Hollywood agent?" Dana chuckled in response and when she stopped, she saw his expression shifted slightly and he said in quiet sincerity, "But you tell me this, won't it feel good to have an agent who doesn't consider your sexuality a hindrance to your career? Who doesn't treat it like something that's to be avoided like the fucking plague, or hidden in a moldy closet, or ignored by sticking your head in the sand? Because I can promise you right now that's what you'll be getting with me. Someone who doesn't care one bit about who you love and have sex with. The only things that concern me are making my clients a success and keeping them happy." 

Seconds later he signed Dana as his newest client.

"Thrilling I suppose," murmured Frank after giving the question a good deal of thought. When Dana looked surprised, he chuckled at her. "It was a terribly naughty thing to be, you realize," he said humorously. "Being gay was the unspoken evil and I'm sorry, I couldn't help but get a tingle every time I realized what I was doing would horrify thousands. Yes, it was very thrilling," Frank chuckled and he turned to study a pensive Dana. "You're nervous about the meeting now, aren't you?"

Alternating from biting and chewing on her bottom lip, Dana looked morosely at Frank then dropped her head in a small nod of acknowledgement. "This will be the first time I've seen her since..." Dana trailed off, not sure how to say it. "Since I ended the engagement," she finished, sighing to stare out the window. "Wayne's already met with her and he said she was really calm in the meeting. But I wasn't there, you know? I don't know if I can do this," Dana's voice wavered. "The things she said to me... but I know this is my fault, right?" Turning to face Frank who met her gaze with an expression of acceptance and understanding, Dana continued, "I did this. I'm the one who asked her to marry me when I knew I didn't love her. So I have to do this. It's my responsibility."

There was a long silence then Frank smiled warm and kind, looking very much like someone's lovable grandfather then he lightly slapped Dana on her knees and declared, "Bullshit!"

"Frank?" squeaked Dana in surprise.

"Sorry, honey, but that's bullshit," said Frank, laughing and shaking his head. "You're my client, remember? And I'm here to make you happy and if seeing Tonya isn't going to make you happy then guess what? I make sure you don't have to do it. I can wrangle a way to arrange all this without your illustrious presence, I'm sure. So you just forget about all your self sacrificing I must suffer because it's my responsibility line of woe. That just won't do," Frank wagged his finger back and forth with every slow pronunciation of the words. "Come on, lets get your gorgeous self out of here." He rose to his feet and held out his hands which Dana mechanically took. "You're sadly no longer needed for the rest of today's proceedings," said Frank, chuckling and leading her to the door.

"But I really should--" Dana protested, utterly baffled by these sudden turn of events and not entirely sure of what was going on. 

"I'll let you know how everything goes when all has been said and done," Frank assured as he squeezed her hands tenderly and smiled. "Now get out of here," he made a shooing motion with his hands. "Go train excessively or have relations with that woman like I'm sure you were doing earlier."

"Frank!" squeaked Dana again, turning bright red.

"Enjoy your youth while you have it," counseled Frank who gently put his hands on her back and pushed her out of his office to then shut the door behind her. Leaving Dana with her back against it and looking at his secretary with utter bewilderment.

"He gives good advice, honey," the secretary commented in a thick Brooklyn accent which Dana never knew she had. Mostly because this was the first time the woman had bothered to speak to Dana. "You oughta take it. Go have yourself some fun, huh?"

It was good advice, this was true. The problem was that Dana knew without a doubt that her personal human personification for fun would be nearly impossible to spend time with at the moment. Especially if those harassing messages that Alice's editor had left on her answering machine about handcuffing her to her desk in order to get her story in on time held any sort of genuine threat.

Ah well. Maybe she could bother Shane.

\---

Feeling the weight of Marc's gaze boring holes into her back, Alice decided that his sudden obsession with her having to physically work in the office was part of a larger conspiracy launched by those jealous of her fabulous new multiple orgasm sex life. That or he really wanted to see the article finished because it sort of was due in two days and she hadn't actually written it... 

Plus she was three hours late for their meeting.

A meeting that had been put off at least seven times already. Facts that made Alice admit that logically there could be no jealous conspiracy against her and Dana's sex life. But it was a fun thing to theorize over. More fun than writing an article on the age reversing properties mayonnaise could possibly hold for feminine skin.

The weight of the gaze increased by 1/4 and Alice realized she became so lost in her thoughts she had inadvertently stopped typing. Something that just wouldn't do with guard editor Marc staring her down until she finished the first version of the article. Thus her typing resumed and so did her boredom as she was forced to place her attention on her work.

Which was fucking boring. That was her fault though. Why in the hell had she brought up the idea for this story anyway? And more importantly, why the hell was Marc more interested in an article about a possible mayonnaise skin creme than her brilliant chart?

Philistines were her coworkers, all of them. Mocking the chart. Oh yes, how the woe would be onto them once the chart expanded to encompass not just LA and California but the entire United States and then the world. Alice paused in her typing, much to agitation of Marc and his twitchy nerves, to ponder if the chart could one day help figure out exactly how many lesbians there were in the world. She figured it had to be in the high six digit numbers.

Returning to her typing and in turn, her boredom, Alice felt her brain begin to slip into a coma and decided music would help. So she avoided eye contact with Marc, as she was sure his glare would sear her eyes out, and connected her iPod to her laptop. The player popped up and Alice decided she was in the mood for a nice cheesy flashback. Something happy that she would naturally want to sing along with which would keep her awake, typing, and therefore on Marc's good side.

One hour and forty seven minutes later Alice's mayonnaise article was nearly complete but in exchange for her newly efficient work standard, Marc found himself driven insane by the 80's playlist and her singing along with it. To such a level that when his wide eyes, left one twitching from the music and his growing migraine, caught sight of Alice typing the final word to her article he sprung from his seat and ran over to her.

"Good job! You're done for the day," Marc proclaimed, waving his hands about. "Just upload that to the server and you're done. That's all I really needed from you."

Frowning in confusion, Alice tilted her head and studied Marc. Unable to keep herself from automatically continuing to sing along, "We used to talk about the weather, making plans together. Days would last forever--"

"Stop singing, you're done!" shrieked Marc, his eyes wide and harried.

Snapping her mouth shut and looking a tad insulted, Alice pouted cutely then asked, "You don't like my singing?"

"I don't like the 80's," Marc shuddered and he flashed back to his youth. "The raised collars, the pink shirts, the tight rolled jeans." He shuddered again and muttered darkly, "The orphans on TV."

"Hmm," murmured Alice, studying him thoughtfully. Tapping her chin, her eyes grew lidded and she said, "I bet you'd like a story on how the 80's are making a comeback and that's a bad thing."

"I'd love it," said Mark who was looking at her appreciatively. "Are you going to write one for me? Because if you do then I might overlook the mass of unprofessional behavior involved in the entire execution of this mayonnaise article."

"I hate the 80's has a nice ring to it," Alice replied, standing up and closing her laptop after putting away her iPod. "But that could lead to problems with the people at VH1."

"Don't worry, I'll think of a name," muttered Marc as he walked away. "You just write the article and don't forget to mention those stupid kids dressing the same. Something's wrong with the world when I see a fourteen year old dressing like my older brother did back in 1984."

Watching him go into his office, Alice slid her laptop into its case and slung it over her shoulder. Putting on her big pimpin' sunglasses, as Shane had called them, she headed out the doors of LA Magazine singing with a proud and triumphant smile, "Together with me and my baby, break the chains of love. Together we'll break these chains of love..."

She knew that Marc's intense hatred of the 80's would come in handy one day. Thus proving her theory that information on your boss, no matter how idiotic and mundane, can prove useful. Well, at least when it came to her playing psychological games with her superiors it did.

\---

Upon arriving at the condo, Alice found Dana sitting on her bed staring blankly down at several pieces of paper resting in her lap. Sitting carefully next to the brunette, she massaged the back of her neck gently and rested her chin on a strong shoulder to peer down at the papers. 

"What's all this?" asked Alice quietly.

"A letter from Tonya," said Dana just as quietly in response. Turning to look at Alice with teary eyes, she murmured, "I was supposed to go to that meeting with her today but I didn't because Frank could see how nervous I was. He told me I didn't have to be there and told me to leave. I... I knew I should've stayed but I didn't want to, Al." Dana was still for a moment then she turned suddenly to bury herself in Alice's arms. Her head tucked against Alice's chest, breathing in the scent of her perfume, she continued, "The meeting didn't go well. Frank and Wayne came up with a buyout deal for Tonya where we would pay her a lump sum in order to alter her involvement and continued pay in the endorsements she got me. Anyway, she didn't take the deal... she didn't even look at it. Then she wanted to know where I was and when Frank told her I didn't want to be there she asked everyone to leave so she could write me a letter." After saying this, Dana absently picked up the pages of the letter to then let them fall carelessly from her fingers. "That's what this is."

Frowning deeply, Alice picked up the letter and skimmed through it. She expected to find anger, bile, and hate filled accusations but in its place were calculated, calm, and cool explanations as to why it was logical for their business relationship to continue though their romantic relationship was over. And to be honest, as much as she loathed to admit it all of the arguments that Tonya made were valid ones. She was successful as Dana's manager and she had gotten her deals and opportunities yet to be matched by others in her professional life. The letter basically was a polite statement saying that whether Dana liked it or not she was staying in her life, at least in a business sense, but she would prefer her stay to be welcome.

Because a welcome stay would ultimately be more profitable for them both, financially and professionally, to quote Tonya directly. The only thing in the letter that was remotely emotional was Tonya's apology for the destruction she had wreaked on the condo and stating that she had written a check to Wayne on being told of the damages.

The letter left Alice baffled as to Tonya and Dana's state of minds. Tonya because her disaffected attitude towards a woman she had almost married and Dana's for apparently being upset that Tonya wasn't more broken up over their relationship ending. Then again, Alice mused as she looked from Dana who rested forlornly on her chest, arms wrapped around her tight, to the letter in her hands. Maybe it was that and something else.

Maybe it was the idea that Dana was going to marry Tonya, a woman who not barely a month after their break up was able to simply go about her life as if nothing happened between them personally. Tonya was more concerned about her business relationship with Dana and didn't appear to care anything about their defunct personal life. Nothing about their engagement, their break up, or their promises of love, empty as they might have been. Not one thing about that in the letter.

It was nothing but business.

Which implied that's all Dana was to Tonya. Just business. Something good to advance all her personal ambitions and even though Alice had suspected this and she knew Dana did as well there was something horrible about seeing it written down on a page in black and white with a distinctive poofy cursive scrawl. Perhaps the physical reality of holding the letter in your hands made it all the more stark and undeniable in its truth.

No wonder Dana was hurting. God, how couldn't you hurt after reading something like that? Realizing something like that? Taking the letter into her hand and crumpling it slightly as she tossed it aside, Alice traced a hand down to cup Dana's cheek. When watery blue eyes looked at her, she smiled sadly. "I know, baby," she crooned and nuzzled the other woman softly to kiss her face. First her cheeks, jaw, eyelids, earlobes, and finally tip of her nose before tenderly pressing lips against lips. "It doesn't matter... she doesn't matter. I love you. I always have."

"Alice," sobbed Dana into the kiss, her mouth hungry and needy, wanting reassurance more than anything else. That Alice really did love her, that it was possible for someone to love her, to feel something for her that wasn't related back to some thought of possible opportunities for them by getting involved with her. That someone wanted just her. Loved just her. "Alice."

"I love you, Dana," said Alice, her voice an intense whisper and tears lacing her words because she was crying for Dana. For the pain and the hurt and the insecurity. She was crying because fucking Tonya had made Dana doubt herself yet again. And that wasn't something Alice could live with. "I love you," she said fiercely, seizing Dana's lips in a hard kiss.

She pushed the tennis player back onto the bed, kissing her still, pressing her tongue for eager entrance to then suck on Dana's, taking all there was to show Dana how much Alice wanted her, how much she loved her. Her hands frantic and grabbing, pulling at their clothes until she eventually had to rip her mouth away, causing Dana to release sobbing moans of protest, just to effectively shed them. Slightly crazed in their impatience and need, they were naked in seconds and Alice was sure their clothes had to be ruined but it didn't matter, only Dana mattered.

Only Dana.

Hands covering and learning the pathways of tanned skin, Alice wound her fingers into wavy brown hair and kissed Dana, she kissed her longer and harder and more deeply than anyone ever had. Her tongue thrusting deep then shallow, moving in a slow circular pattern to stop and suck, and pull, and god... taste, she tasted everything that was Dana. Moving her head away only slightly to bite and pull and tug on a lush lower lip then tilting in a different direction to start it all over again. Endless kisses that fed Dana with an overwhelming feeling of love and want.

There wasn't any proper way she could explain how wanted she felt when Alice kissed her like this.

Kissed her firm and hard and sure, letting Dana know that she was exactly what Alice wanted but yielding and soft and so very tender that Dana knew absolutely Alice that loved her. Over and over, she kissed like this while pale hands explored tan skin, caressing and teasing and touching. Slipping down as a leg nudged between her own, parting them with a groan from them both, the evidence of their desire wet on their thighs.

A light brush of fingertips then the torturous motion, up and down slowly pressing against her clit, making Dana groan and gasp and moan into Alice who tilted her head and kissed her deeper yet. Tongue swirling and capturing Dana's while her thumb kept the tempo, moving up and down over her clit as a finger slipped inside. Pushing in then pulling out, bending upwards to send sharp bursts of pleasure through Dana's body, lifting her off the bed and into Alice.

Trying to pull Alice closer into her with every movement, writhing and begging and needing more than anything to be as close as possible. No one made her feel like this. No one and Dana wanted to keep it this way forever. She wanted to be like this always with Alice because nothing could be better than this. It simply wasn't possible.

More was what she wanted and more was what she got, Alice slipping more fingers into her and giving her more pressure and more rhythm and more speed and more kisses. Lush and greedy and when Dana had her orgasm, Alice was kissing her deep enough she swallowed the moans of pleasure. Absorbing them and taking them as her own. Their mouths parted with soft gasps and Alice gently allowed herself to fall onto Dana, head buried in the crook of her neck and smiling when tan arms weakly wrapped around her for an embrace.

She snuggled closer as Dana's hands played with the edges of her messy sweat dampened blonde hair. "God, Al," Dana exhaled, her voice wavering and husky. "What did you do to me?" 

"I loved you," answered Alice, saying this as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

And to her it was. Just like it was the simplest thing for Dana to love Alice. And that's what really mattered. What really counted. Not Tonya and her business proposals and not Gabby and her mind games. All that mattered was them and their feelings for each other.

Plus the fact that they had no meetings to get to and therefore be late for which meant... oh yes, slow and languid and no chance of being interrupted sex. That definitely mattered.

Especially if the moans caused from the French kiss currently being incited were to be noted.

\---

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Dana stared at the ominous building in front of them and instinctively reached backwards to take Alice's hand in her own. The blonde moved forward, concern lining her features as she pressed against Dana's back, breath warming her skin.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this, Dane?" asked Alice gently, threading their fingers and squeezing the tennis player's hand. "We don't have to do it now. There's no rush..."

Taking a slow and steadying breath then releasing it in a loud whoosh, Dana smiled shakily and looked to Alice. "I'm ready," she murmured in tremulous tones but her expression remained steady in its resolve. "I want to do this... I need to do this. And the sooner I do this then the sooner I can finally start to try and move on. Besides," Dana bit her lower lip to turn and face the building again. "This is the right thing to do."

Following Dana's gaze to stare at the large sign that said in cheerful lettering 'Kitten Adoption Special', Alice nodded her head. "Sure, it's the right thing," she soothed. "Picking out some sad kitty version of Little Orphan Annie is the totally right thing to do. Plus it's humane... you know," Alice formed a goofy grin and nudged the still solemn Dana. "Like the society."

"Al," Dana said her name in a combination of exasperation and fondness. 

"Come on," chuckled Alice, squeezing Dana's hand again as she moved around the brunette and towards the building. "Lets go find you a new fur covered friend." As they walked, something occurred to Alice and looking at Dana, she said, "Dane? How did you get Mr. Piddles anyway? I mean, did you pick him out yourself like this? I never asked you." Another lump automatically appeared in Dana's throat and she had to swallow it before replying. This was an action that Alice instantly recognized. "It's okay!" she exclaimed. "You don't have to answer me, I know how much you miss him. I was only wondering." 

"No, Al, it's fine," assured Dana, caressing Alice's hand that remained in her own as they entered the building. "I want to tell you. I like the story, actually."

She started to say more but they found themselves soon greeted by a Humane Society worker wearing a bright smile. "Hi!" she said in cheerful tones, clapping her hands together. "Are you here for our kitten adoption special or is there something else I can help you with?"

Dana froze at the question and seeing this, Alice returned the bright smile with a dazzling one of her own and drawled in a silly cops and robbers voice, "We've come for your kittens."

"That's great!" declared the worker, giggling at Alice's fake voice and giving her an appreciative study. "I'll take you to see them. We've got a wonderful group of kittens to choose from. They've all been given their required shots, have been spayed or neutered, and we've also made an effort to socialize them." She looked back to Alice and Dana who were trailing after her. Locking eyes with Alice, she said, "My name is Sally, by the way. Just so you know who to ask for if you need help."

"Thanks Sally," said Dana, replying before Alice could get the chance, her blue eyes narrowing slightly and her tone a tad warning. "We appreciate the thought."

Chuckling at the appearance of jealous Dana, which she honestly found to be a little bit of a turn on, Alice stepped back to lean into the brunette. They had stopped in their walk as they had reached where the kittens were located. Putting her hands on top of Dana's arms which easily snaked around her waist, Alice said sincerely, "Thanks for that. We'll be sure to let you know if we need anything."

Sally returned Alice's smile with one that put her previous to shame in its sheer glittering happy power then turned on her heel to begin a sort of skipping walk away. Watching her depart, Dana's eyes narrowed more and she muttered, "It's unnatural for someone to be that friendly." 

"You're adorable when you're needlessly jealous," murmured Alice, turning to face Dana and speaking through the light kiss she delivered. At her words, the tennis player reddened with embarrassment and averted her eyes. Something Alice couldn't help but notice, making her cup Dana's cheek and lean in closer to whisper in her ear, "But you do know you have nothing to be jealous about, right? You're the only one I want."

"I know," responded Dana. She continued to keep her gaze from Alice's, locking it on a fixed point across the room. Then she felt Alice's other hand rise up to hold her face and gently move it so their eyes would meet. Looking down into brown eyes, Dana's heart jumped at the desire and devotion reflected there. Her throat becoming dry, she said hoarsely, "I know."

"Good," Alice said softly, pulling Dana in for a kiss that was sweet and simple. It was a kiss meant to reassure and nothing else since they were, after all, in a public place. "Now lets find you a kitten!" she declared, pulling back and swinging Dana's hand in her own as she walked through the aisles of large wire cages where the kittens were kept. "There's got to be someone here you'll like."

As if on cue, the kittens seemed to spring to life, crawling in their cages and meowing. Some standing on their hind legs and batting their tiny paws through their wire cages to reach out to Alice and Dana, wanting their attention. Dana paused at one of the larger cages that held four kittens who were obviously related, their orange coloring was so similar. Immediately, the kittens rushed to the edge of the cage and proceeded to climb on top of each other in a massive pile as they all fought to be on top to best capture Dana's attention.

Laughing in delight, Dana released Alice's hand and stepped closer, crouching down and poking a finger into the cage that the closest kitten rubbed its head against and licked several times. "You're so cute," she whispered. The kitten meowed in response and nuzzled her finger again. 

The moment Dana said this, the other three kittens launched at the one she spoke to and they were soon entangled in what looked to be a fairly fierce battle. Leaping to her feet, Dana nervously backed into Alice who rested her hands on Dana's hips, steadying her. Sally appeared and opened the top part of the cage, easily separating the kittens who were starting to calm down.

"Don't worry about it," Sally said with a laugh, closing the cage and facing them. "These guys are the example of sibling rivalry. They always act like this." Tilting her head, she studied Dana then said thoughtfully, "I think a kitten who is more mellow and relaxed would suit you best." She paused and seemed to contemplate this then smiling brightly, snapped her fingers and exclaimed, "I've got it!" Dana and Alice watched a bit stupefied as Sally disappeared down the aisle. When they didn't follow, her head poked out from around a corner and she waved at them in an large and impatient circular gesture. "Come on!" she said excitedly. "I have the perfect new friend for you. I think that he's quite possibly the mellowest kitten in all of existence."

Exchanging a perplexed look with Alice before shrugging her shoulders, Dana followed after Sally with Alice trailing along, still holding onto her hand. They turned the corner to see Sally stood at the end of the aisle, in front of a smaller cage that contained a lone kitten inside of it. 

They stepped closer, standing next to Sally to take the first good look at the tiny creature. He sat or was that stood? Well, he sat or stood at the center of the cage and looked at them with a solemn expression on his furry features. Though it was hard to really tell that for sure just like it was hard to tell if he was sitting or standing because he was, without a doubt, the furriest kitten either of them had ever seen. So furry that his eyes, dark and somber, were barely visible through his thick mass of dark grey fuzz. The kitten cocked his head to one side to look at Dana who stepped up to the cage and cautiously poked her finger inside. Staring at the finger for several moments before releasing a low rumbling purr and walking forward, the kitten affectionately rubbed his head against Dana's finger in a movement that caused her to inadvertently scratch behind his ears. 

"He's perfect," said Dana quietly, eyes becoming teary as the kitten reminded her of Mr. Piddles. Suddenly recalling Alice's presence and not wanting to exclude her, Dana darted her gaze to the blonde who smiled tenderly at her. "What do you think, Al?"

"I think he's perfectly poofy," replied Alice humorously and when Dana rolled her eyes, she laughed. "I'm just kidding, Dane. I think Sally called it, this is the kitten for you."

"I thought you'd like him," Sally murmured and she offered Dana a caring smile before moving around her to remove the kitten from his cage. "You seemed like you would want a companion, someone with a warm personality, and that," she laughed happily as the kitten nuzzled her face when she picked him up. "Is without a doubt this little guy." Carefully handing him over to Dana who held him up and allowed him to lick her face, Sally smiled and asked, "Do you need to pick up any supplies while you're here? A litter box and so on? I can have someone help you pick it out while I get the adoption papers ready."

"I do," said Dana who nodded, reluctantly drawing her gaze from the kitten and to Sally. "I also wanted to know if you take donations of things like that? My cat passed away a few months ago and it didn't seem right to reuse his things..." She trailed off, blushing red with embarrassment and locked her gaze with Alice who looked at her with love. 

"Of course we do," said Sally in a kind voice and she reached out to touch Dana's arm, making the tennis player focus on her. Her hand lightly rubbed tanned skin and Sally continued, "I understand exactly what you mean." She formed a smile so breathtaking it completely left her previous dazzling and bright ones in the dust as she squeezed Dana's arm gently. "You loved your pet like he was a person because to you he was as important as any person." Sally's smile became blinding then she let her hand fall from Dana's arm and turned to walk out of the room. "I'm going to head up front to get your adoption papers ready. I'll send back another worker to help you pick out his supplies."

Alice and Dana stared after her in silence then Alice lifted an eyebrow and said with a sardonic lilt, "I guess she's an equal opportunity flirt."

"We're obviously nothing special," replied Dana who chuckled as the kitten, whom she had tucked in her arms, began to make a slow and careful climb up her chest with his tiny clawed paws. She reached down to hold him tenderly, setting him on her shoulder where he balanced perfectly and nuzzled her neck. Laughing at the sensation of his super fuzzy head against her skin, Dana rubbed the kitten's back. When she looked to Alice, she saw the blonde watching her with a veiled expression that she couldn't properly discern. "What?"

The veiled expression shifted and revealed a look of overwhelming affection and desire as Alice stepped forward to kiss Dana slow and thorough. When she pulled back, she cupped Dana's cheek, chuckling and letting her hand fall to rub the kitten's head who purred and pressed into her touch. "I was just wondering how it's possible for you to be so damn cute and still be fucking sexy at the same time." Wiggling her eyebrows in that silly manner that always made Dana laugh, and this was no exception as the brunette giggled at her, Alice drawled, "It seems wrong somehow. Like I'm some sort of cute person chasing pervert."

"Maybe that's because you are," said Dana impishly, leaning down to drop a quick kiss on Alice's lips before taking her hand. Leading them through the room and trying her best to ignore the plaintive meows of the kittens they were leaving behind, while smiling at the sound of the one on her shoulder purring low and happy into her ear as he nuzzled her neck. "But don't worry, Al. I don't think the police prosecute for that kind of perversion yet."

"Thank god," Alice said in a voice of exaggerated relief. "Because now that you've got that poofy new friend of yours I think I would end up behind bars for life if they did."

A cute laugh and purr greeted Alice in response.

\---

The time was eleven a.m. on the dot and Bette was currently involved with her scheduled phone date, one that was faithfully kept each and every day unless an email was received from one person to the other saying they were unable to make it.

"May I ask you something personal?" Bette questioned, adjusting her position on the couch and sinking deeper into the cushions. An impossibly alluring chuckle met her ears and she smiled. "And may I also ask what precisely is so very funny?"

"You are," rumbled the accented voice in light humor. "We speak of nothing but the personal aspects of our lives so how could you doubt I would allow you to question me on it?"

Rolling her eyes at this, Bette remarked, "You truly do delight at the idea of making yourself frustrating to others don't you, Marina?" 

"I do find it amusing," Marina chuckled. She was silent for a moment then in a sad and comforting voice she said, "What was it that you wanted to ask of me?"

"Why stay married?" asked Bette, finally voicing the question that had been rolling around in her mind ever since she discovered the truth behind the other woman's marriage. "I understand why you went along with your family's wishes and married him in the first place but if you're both living separate lives like you are... what's the point of it? Why not get a divorce?"

"What is the point of a divorce?" responded Marina in a verbal thrust and parry that Bette sighed quietly at. Hearing this, Marina decided to gather her thoughts then she replied with sober honesty, "I see no reason to divorce him. We have lived separate lives for years, this is true, but just as there is no need for the marriage there is no need for the divorce. What would it change? My life would be the same with or without it and keeping it pleases my family. That is enough."

"Marina," murmured Bette in husky tones.

"Yes?" Marina's voice floated easily into her ear, matching Bette's in its sensuality.

"That is the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard," stated Bette plainly. Playfully rearranging the pillows at the end of the couch with her feet, she squirmed around. "Do you know how inactive that is? It's like keeping yourself in stasis. How are you supposed to change your life if you keep things in it the same because it's easier to do it that way?"

"You have made a convincing argument," answered Marina. There was silence and Bette heard her mutter something in Italian under her breath rather irately. Then she came back on the line and murmured, "I know you are right, Bette. But what I do not know is if I have the strength to change my life as of now. It is... difficult to find a reason why I should," she said, subdued and sorrowful.

"Jenny asks about you," Bette revealed softly. "She came over and happened to look at my laptop when I left it on the kitchen table. She saw an email from you... so I told her that we've been talking. I think she wanted to ask me about your marriage to Manfredi but instead she asked how you were."

"What did you tell her?" asked Marina, her accented voice holding an understated edge of danger despite the distance between them.

"I told her the truth," said Bette in wry tones. "That I'm not really sure how you were because sometimes it's hard to tell with you. She laughed and now almost every time I see her she asks about you and I always tell her that same thing."

"Jenny," Marina breathed the name out in an odd tortured longing. Bette would never quite understand that relationship or the bond they shared and she wasn't sure she wanted to. No matter how close she and the European woman were getting thanks to their daily phone chats.

Bette opened her mouth to perhaps give into the perverse desire to know what it was about Jenny that continued to plague Marina when she heard a knock at her front door. "Hold on," she murmured into the phone as she rose to her feet. "I'm going to see who that is."

"If it is Jenny do not tell her it is me you are speaking to," ordered Marina in what Bette supposed was meant to be a stern voice but sounded more desperate to her ears. 

"I won't," replied Bette, rolling her eyes as she pulled the door open and whatever words she was going to say next died as she stared at Tina standing in front of her. "Tina," she whispered.

"It is Tina?" Marina asked curiously. She paused then said with a devilish combination of charm and humor, "In that case you may tell her it is me you are speaking to." 

Ignoring the joke, Bette kept her eyes locked on Tina, unable to believe she was really there. "I'll call you back, Marina," she said quietly to her friend before ending the call with a push of a button. 

"I didn't know you still spoke with Marina," said Tina, speaking the moment Bette hung up the phone. "You two weren't exactly on the best of terms when she left."

"No, we weren't," admitted Bette with self effacing humor. "Which was entirely my fault, not hers. I had no right to judge her back then and I certainly have no right to judge her right now. Once I realized that, I called her to apologize and we've been speaking daily ever since. Strangely enough, she and I have a fair amount in common." Bette pulled her gaze from Tina, afraid if she looked at her any longer she'd get lost in the beauty she saw there and stared into the distance. "It's nice," she eventually said in a bare whisper. "Talking with someone who understands."

"We used to be able to talk like that," Tina responded, her vocal tones matching the dejected expression on her face. "I miss it," she looked Bette squarely in the eyes. "I miss being able to talk to you like that. I miss us, Bette." Hope flared in dark brown eyes and the brunette took a hesitant step towards Tina who formed a welcoming smile. Reaching down to hold Bette's hands in her own, Tina stared at them then continued, "I don't know if I can forgive you but I do know that I want to try."

"Will have you dinner with me?" asked Bette eagerly, rubbing Tina's hands in a warm gesture, holding them up to press against her heart. Tina smiled gently and nodded in response, making Bette's smile widen. "Tomorrow night?" she asked next, her voice practically giddy with happiness. Tina gave another nod and laughed as Bette seemed to bounce on her heels slightly. "Italian? Giavanos? Or someplace light? The Gardens?" 

Laughing again, Tina shook her head and remarked, "I can't remember the last time I've seen you this excited, Bette. Does having dinner really make you that happy?"

Sobering at Tina's words, Bette took a small step forward and ducked her head so her dark eyes met Tina's lighter gaze. And holding that connection close, she murmured, earnest and heartfelt, "I'm happy if I get the chance to just catch a glance of you. I'm thrilled if I get any opportunity to speak with you. But to know you're going to try... god... you're going to try and forgive me for the worst thing I've done in my life thus far? And you're willing to have dinner with me on top of it? Well," Bette formed a smile of spectacular proportions and lifted Tina's hands to her mouth to kiss them tenderly. "I'm ecstatic. No, make that over the moon I'm so far gone with happiness."

Extricating her hands from Bette's and lifting one to stroke the side of the other woman's cheek, Tina replied softly, "Me too."

\---

The living room was a chaotic mess of toys, furniture, and empty boxes as Alice and Dana opened the various supplies they had bought for the furry new addition to their lives. Taking a step back to study her handiwork, Alice tilted her head and squinted at the super fancy yet had to be assembled wicker kitty pod Dana had purchased. It was basically a fancy bowl on four legs that was elevated high off the ground. Supposedly cats preferred sleeping higher up... at least that's what the sales girl had told them. Alice didn't know if she believed that but Dana liked it and that was good enough. 

"I'm not meant for assembling," said Alice dryly, staring at the kitty pod that just didn't look right to her. "I'm not an assembler. I didn't like legos as a kid, you know? I liked Candyland. Mostly because I thought it was a real place somewhere."

Glancing up from the cat tree which the kitten was busy exploring at his own slow but sure pace, Dana looked at the kitty pod with a scrutinizing gaze. A small frown formed on her features and she said after a moment, "It's leaning to the left. One of the legs is uneven, Al."

"Fuck," muttered Alice, staring at the pod. Scowling deeply, she threw her hands up in agitation. "I'll say it again, I'm so not an assembler!" Turning to Dana, she pointed at her and announced, "You are to never allow me to attempt assembling again, you got it Dane?"

"Aye, aye!" Dana saluted and gave a silly grin. 

The kitten paused in his slow exploration to face Alice and stare at her solemnly. Lifting an eyebrow, she moved forward to put her face in front of his and drawled, "What are you looking at, poofy?"

He continued to stare at her solemnly then walked over to Alice and nuzzled her face, releasing a low rumbling purr that made it sound as if he had a tiny engine inside his furry body. Dana giggled at this and remarked, "I think he likes you."

"Mmm," Alice murmured in affable tones and she picked up the kitten. She plopped down on the couch and grabbed the edge of Dana's shirt, tugging on it until the brunette was sitting next to her. When Dana settled in, she rested her head on her shoulder and released her hold on the kitten. "I think he needs a name. Do you have any ideas?"

"I don't know..." said Dana thoughtfully, her eyes lidded and she rubbed the kitten's head as he bumbled over to her, climbing on her jean covered legs. Although she tried her best to ignore it, the kitten couldn't help but remind her of Mr. Piddles and she found herself missing him terribly. 

"How about Dryer Lint? That's what he looks like," offered Alice mischievously, noticing Dana going into a slight funk and wanting to stop it before it actually happened. 

"Dryer Lint?" echoed Dana, frowning severely. "Al!" she cried, sounding utterly offended, stroking the kitten's head who was climbing up her chest. "That's mean."

"That's a no for Dryer Lint, okay," Alice mused as she rubbed her chin. Another impish smile formed and she suggested, "Dust Bunny?" Instead of responding verbally in the negative, Dana reached out to playfully grip Alice's neck and rock her to and fro. Squealing happily at the touch, Alice exclaimed, "Okay, okay, I'll be good! I promise!" 

"I wonder if I should name him the same way I did for Mr. Piddles," said Dana quietly, the memories seizing her and she smiled fondly at the recollection. 

The kitten had reached the top of Dana's shoulder, which Alice's head was lazily resting on, and started a cautious walk on top of her messy blonde head of hair. Something Alice decided to allow as she peered at Dana and asked, "How did you choose Mr. P's name? And how did you get him? You said that you would tell me."

Dana looked to Alice and couldn't help but smile affectionately on seeing the kitten was nestled on top of her head, his eyes closed in total contentment. "You're not actually going to let him stay there, are you Al? I don't think kittens are among the best of LA's fashionable headwear."

"Eh," Alice made a dismissive noise, hands playing with Dana's shirt and slipping under it to trace her initials onto the flat stomach. "He can sit there as long as he wants if he doesn't take a shit."

"Yuck," said Dana, scrunching her nose in distaste. 

"Tell the story," commanded Alice, poking Dana's stomach. Smiling when the tennis player twisted in her seat, automatically giggling at her touch because she was horribly ticklish in certain places of her body. Places that Alice had learned and expertly memorized in their numerous times together. 

"It's not some sort of grand epic tale," Dana said, rolling her eyes. She snuggled further into the couch and sighed happily when Alice's hand spread possessively across her abdomen to stroke the skin in a lazy motion. "I just got finished playing in the USTA National Open, right? I made it all the way to the Quarter Finals for the Girls 12 division only to lose because of stupid call." Dana's face darkened slightly and she scowled, muttering under her breath, "I still say the ball was in."

Chuckling at the competitive streak Dana naturally exhibited over any tennis match, even one several years old, Alice tilted her head and pressed a kiss onto the other woman's jaw. "And then?" she inquired, although at this point she could honestly predict how the rest of the story would go. 

"My parents knew I had been wanting a pet for awhile and so on the drive home we stopped by the Humane Society," said Dana, looking lost in the memories. Gazing at the kitten who was now asleep as he rested on Alice's head. "Mr. Piddles was just like him when we got him. All by himself in a cage but he didn't seem scared or lonely..."

"How did you pick his name?" asked Alice softly.

"We couldn't think of anything good so my dad came up with the idea of waiting and getting to know him then we would decide on a name that was based on his personality," answered Dana, shrugging her shoulders a bit. 

"And you came up with Mr. Piddles," Alice drew the words out in a sardonic lilt. 

"Yeah, well," Dana reddened and looked off to one side. "He wasn't really a cat that responded to orders or anything, you know? He took his time. My dad said he was always piddling around... so we decided to name him after that since it was sort of what he did all of the time."

Silence enveloped them and Alice shifted her position to cup Dana's cheek, waking the kitten on the top of her head in the process. When the tennis player met her gaze, she smiled sweetly and moved closer to kiss her languidly. When they parted with muted sighs, Alice murmured, "I liked your story."

"Thanks," whispered Dana, smiling shyly. She chuckled as the kitten bumbled down from Alice's head, his fluffy body dropping to cover her face as he began to slowly slide down. "Hey you," she murmured fondly to him, gently holding him to lift him off of Alice's face. "Al might like to eat pussy but not your kind so you shouldn't try things like that." Feeling more than anything the strange gaze Alice was fixing on her, Dana turned to the blonde who was gaping at her. "What?" 

"You!" Alice exclaimed, wildly gesturing at Dana. "I can't believe you just said that." Her expression filled with playful delight, she pressed closer and spoke into the tennis player's lips for a kiss. "You're sexy when you say naughty words."

Dana responded with a moan and opened her mouth wider, inviting Alice for entrance. Something the other woman took immediate advantage of, deepening the kiss, sinking into the brunette as she used her tongue to capture Dana's who groaned in appreciation. They were soon interrupted by a pair of furry paws resting on their faces and upon separating they looked to see the kitten studying them with a solemn expression.

"You know, I really like you Marshmallow Kitty," drawled Alice humorously, lifting up the kitten and holding him over her head, making it so they were looking into each others eyes. "But you're killing my libido. I was getting into that kiss, you hear what I'm sayin'?"

"What did you just say?" asked Dana in a sudden demand, launching herself at Alice who looked at her in confusion.

"You hear what I'm sayin'," Alice echoed, frowning and fearing for Dana's sanity.

"No, not that," Dana waved it off. "What did you call him?"

"Marshmallow Kitty," said Alice slowly, frowning more. She set the kitten down on the couch, watching as he bumbled his way over to Dana to scratch at her jeans. "It's not an insult or anything, Dane. I swear. I mean, he is super poofy like a marshmallow and he's a kitty so... Marshmallow Kitty," Alice shrugged, at a loss to further explain why she had called the tiny creature that.

Breaking into a glorious smile that Alice felt certainly could outshine the sun, Dana held the kitten gently and moved her face close to his. "Did you hear that?" she murmured to him. "That's your name." The kitten cocked his head, releasing a rumbling purr and nuzzling Dana's neck when she placed him down to rest on her chest. "Your name is Marshmallow Kitty."

"Oh god," Alice pronounced after watching them. Shaking her head mournfully, she let herself fall down onto Dana's lap to sprawl across the other woman who smiled at this and tousled her messy blonde hair. "You two are just bound and determined to make me into a card carrying cute thing chasing pervert, aren't you? My fate is sealed."

Laughing at Alice and Marshmallow Kitty, who at the journalist's movement slid down to rest on her head again, Dana smiled at them both. "At least it's an enjoyable fate," she consoled, moving in and kissing Alice sweetly who sighed happily and returned the embrace with delicious abandon.

\---

They had promised Shane they would make an appearance at the casual excuse for a party she was having at her and Jenny's house. Knowing full well that Shane would harass them until infinity and beyond unless they showed up, they decided to attend as promised. But not without their newfound furry friend whom they felt shouldn't be left alone on his first night with them. Thus leading to them face a smiling Jenny when she opened the door with Alice holding beer in her hands while Dana had Marshmallow Kitty in her own.

"Kitty!" Jenny exclaimed on seeing Dana's welcome burden. "She's so tiny, can I hold her?"

"Sure," said Dana, laughing as she handed Marshmallow Kitty over to Jenny as Alice shut the front door. "And it's a boy. His name is Marshmallow Kitty because... well... that's what he is."

"That's too cute," gushed Jenny, smiling as the kitten nuzzled her face. "Did you just get him?"

"Yup," Alice said the word with a defined pop, moving around Dana and Jenny and into the living room. "We adopted our own fuzzy feline version of Little Orphan Annie today, like any self respecting animal loving lesbian couple should." Standing in front of Shane who was lying comfortably on the couch, her head in a random girl's lap, Alice arched an eyebrow and lifted the beer for inspection. "You want something to drink, casanova?"

"No thanks," rumbled Shane, smiling at Alice. "I didn't think you were gonna show." She nodded towards the two girls sitting on the floor across from her, Shane drawled, "You know Beth and Erin, right? That's Carmen," she lazily gestured towards the woman going through cds in front of the stereo. Shane then grinned and tipped her head back, threading her fingers into hair of the girl whose lap she rested in. "And this is Julia." 

Watching as Shane proceeded to make out heavily with Julia and rolling her eyes at the obvious display, Alice drawled, "Charmed, I'm sure." She then looked to Dana with an expression that clearly asked why they were there. The tennis player shrugged sheepishly and made her way over to Alice. 

Dana left Marshmallow Kitty in Jenny's capable and very doting hands and sank down on the couch across from Shane, taking the beer that her girlfriend offered her. Alice snuggled next to Dana, a bored look already forming on her features. Wanting to ease the agitation Alice was obviously feeling for whatever reason, Dana moved her free hand back to play with the hairs at the nape of the blonde's neck, who sighed in pleasure at her touch. 

"Man, you two are such a couple, yeah?" remarked Beth, squinting at them and laughing. "I totally didn't believe it when Shane said you were going out now."

"Oh?" asked Alice, looking intrigued. An amused glint appearing in her brown eyes, she fell into Dana who placed her arm on the back of the couch and around Alice's shoulders. "You've turned into the little gay bird of gossip haven't you, Shane?" 

"I live to spread news of happiness and joy," rumbled Shane, grinning mischievously at them. At her words, Carmen laughed softly and Shane looked to her, locking their gazes before seeming to snap out of the daze she was in and turning her attention back to Julia who was kissing her neck.

Observing this in silent contemplation, Alice shifted her gaze to Carmen who was doing her best to pretend she didn't notice the make out session Shane was involved with but failing utterly. Then she looked back to her friend who, for some odd reason, didn't seem to really be enjoying her current activities. And her actions were almost forced to Alice, as if she was putting on a show. Looking back to Carmen who had given up her facade of pretending to ignore Shane and watched the hair stylist with an expression of veiled hurt, Alice put two and two together. 

And Dana, who had been watching Alice during her subtle investigation, did the same. Only it was easier for Dana to see what was happening with Shane because it had happened to her countless times already. The choice to push away someone you knew was beginning to seriously care about you simply due to the fear of them hurting you one day. Trying your best as you did this to not think on how much you were hurting them in the process.

"Retard," Dana muttered accusingly, taking a slow drink of her beer and fixing her gaze onto Shane who was continuing to make out with Julia.

Hearing this quiet utterance and seeing the grim set of Dana's jaw, Alice pushed back a lock of brown hair and murmured into her ear, "Are you going to talk to her?"

Turning to look into Alice's eyes, Dana dropped her head a bit in acknowledgement, making the blonde smile in loving affection as she moved to meet their lips for a slow kiss. A kiss that Carmen and Shane, even if the latter refused to admit it, watched enviously.

\---

The beer supply in the living room had finally run out, causing Shane to head into the kitchen to restock it. Creating the perfect opportunity for Dana to have her talk with Shane. Although she would have be a good deal quieter than she planned in making her points thanks to the fact that kitchen happened to be in direct view of the living room. 

Which is why when Shane turned around from the refrigerator, beer in hand to stare at Dana, she was standing just a breath away. "What's up, Dane?" asked Shane in confusion.

"You're being a retard," proclaimed Dana in a passionate but muted whisper. She then leaned forward and gave into her instincts, flicking Shane lightly between her eyes with her index finger. "A big stupid I'm too super cool to care about lame things like feelings retard."

"Dude, what the fuck?" demanded Shane, rubbing her forehead after putting the beers down on the counter. "What's wrong with you? I'm not doing anything I don't always do."

"Liar," Dana said simply, her face the portrait of skepticism. "That's such a lie because when you always do this you usually enjoy yourself and you're not right now. You're only doing this to prove something to yourself." Shane snorted at this and muttered a remark under her breath. Dana observed this then went on to say delicately, "And to Carmen."

Shane's head immediately jerked up when Dana said Carmen's name, her green eyes lidded and she rumbled, "Leave her out of this, Dana. There's nothing between her and me. Besides, I talked to her... she knows the deal."

Releasing a deep sigh, Dana ran her fingers through wavy brown hair and bit on her bottom lip nervously. Finally looking to Shane, she decided this wasn't going anywhere but she had to at least tell her friend one last thing. "I know what it's like, Shane," she said in heartfelt tones that echoed of absolute honesty. "I know how it feels to be so afraid of being hurt you choose to live your life alone, never letting anyone get close enough to really know and love you. But you know what?" Dana paused, forming a small secretive smile then she leaned in and whispered into Shane's ear, "Taking the chance, dealing with that fear, putting yourself on the line? It's so worth it."

That said, Dana turned on her heel, walking back to Alice and Marshmallow Kitty who was once again perched on his favorite sleep spot that was the top of her head. Shane watching her go with a thoughtful expression on her sharp features.

\---

Two six-packs of beer and the abrupt departure of Carmen later, Dana found herself as the only person in Bette's pool wearing both their bra and underwear. Something she couldn't help but feel embarrassed about but nowhere as embarrassed as she was sure she'd feel if she went completely topless like Alice had chosen to do. She was starting to feel slightly at ease when Shane squinted and looked at the fence to call out, "Mark! Join us!"

Fortunately for Dana, he didn't appear to take the invitation too seriously and chose to stay and continue talking with Jenny who was holding Marshmallow Kitty. Though she couldn't help but notice as his eyes kept drifting over towards them and despite the fact she was the most clothed person in the pool, Dana felt suddenly nude under his gaze. Making her float to the edge of the pool and turn around so her back was facing him.

She heard the quiet waves of someone moving close and her tan shoulders became tense and bunched. Something that went away the moment Dana felt a familiar gentle touch and a soft voice in her ear ask with concern, "You all right, Dane?"

"I'm sorry," said Dana finally in a whisper. She groaned and dropped her head against the edge of the pool, shivering at the sensation of Alice's bare breasts pressing against her back. "I don't like the idea of him staring at me half naked, that's all. Well," she released wry laughter. "Anyone staring at me half naked. I'm just a huge geek..."

"Anyone, huh?" asked Alice. Playfully nudging Dana with her forehead, the journalist swept wavy brown hair to one side and kissing the exposed neck before her, she murmured, "And what about me? You don't like the idea of me seeing you half naked?"

"No," Dana released a gasp when the kisses turned to light sucking, though her voice still echoed with amusement. "I only like the idea of you seeing me totally naked."

"I like that," drawled Alice, moving up to tug on Dana's ear lobe. Her hands slid upwards, tracing the contours of the tennis player's body to cup the breasts barely hidden behind the wet material of her bra. "But you are right, you know. You're a huge geek for being shy about your body. Because you," Alice paused to slide her right hand away from Dana's breast, moving it up thread through brown hair. Yanking it gently back so she and the athlete were eye to eye. Once they were and Dana could see all too clearly the desire lurking there for herself, Alice captured her lips for a searing kiss. Murmuring into it, "Are the sexiest woman in this pool."

"Al," Dana moaned, swiftly turning around and wrapping the blonde up in her arms, letting nothing separate them. Her fingers tangled in wet and messy short locks, smiling into the kiss when she felt Alice speak against her lips, telling her low and sensual, how sexy she was, and what she wanted to do to her when they got home. They parted with groans from them both and Dana chuckled when Alice fell into her arms, resting her head in the crook of her neck. Tracing a path across the pale and exposed back, Dana said in a quiet yet happy suggestion, "Want to get out of here?"

"I'm so ready to go," said Alice, sounding muffled because she remained buried in Dana's arms. They stayed like that for a moment then she pulled away to peer into Dana's blue eyes. Forming a tender smile, she asked, "Want me to bring you a towel?"

Blushing and giving a slight nod, Dana smiled when Alice moved forward for a quick kiss before swimming over to the ladder and climbing out of the pool. She glanced to the fence and was relieved to see Mark involved in his talk with Jenny, which meant he hadn't seen their impromptu make out session or Alice's breasts when she got out of the pool. She wasn't sure why but he made her uneasy and she didn't like the idea of him watching them. Hell, it was true what she told Alice. She didn't like the idea of anyone watching them. It was creepy and invasive to her but then again, Dana knew she should try and get used to it. After all, she was something of a celebrity.

But it was wrong to her... the idea of people invading the perfect little cocoon of happiness she and Alice had created. Invading with their eyes and their ears and their voices asking questions about them and their life together. What Dana shared with Alice she wanted to stay just for them. It was too special and precious to share with the rest of the world.

And then there was the chance it could get ruined.

Dana knew it was ridiculous to worry when it came to things like that but she couldn't help it. What she had with Alice was so wonderful and made her so happy she couldn't help being scared it might someday go away just because now that she had Alice she wasn't sure she could live without her.

"Dana?"

Whipping her head around to face Shane whose green eyes were earnest and almost fearful, Dana frowned. "Yeah?" she murmured, unsure of what was coming.

Her gaze fixed beyond Dana, making the tennis player turn to watch as Alice returned, fully clothed, with a large fluffy towel in her hands. A bright smile was on her features and it was hard to tell if she was laughing at something Jenny said or how Marshmallow Kitty was precariously balancing on the wiry brunette's shoulder. Staring at Alice as she approached, Shane asked, "It's so worth it?"

Watching Alice walk over, her smile growing larger and brown eyes twinkling as she shook out the towel and held it open for Dana to walk into, the tennis player locked a solemn gaze onto her friend. "So worth it," she enforced, her voice husky and laced with emotion.

Green eyes remained fixed on the couple as Dana climbed out of the pool, wrapped up in the towel Alice provided, the blonde snaking an arm around the tennis player's waist when they walked away. The tiny kitten was buried in the towel along with Dana, meowing and batting at the material. And in studying them, Shane knew without a doubt Dana had spoken the truth.

Now she just needed to decide what to do about it.

\---

The Planet was tightly packed with patrons when Alice and Dana walked through the doors on late Friday night. Their hands entwined, the blonde weaved through the throng of people and gently tugged Dana along as she went. It was a gesture that provided a fond reminder of their first visit to Milk together and frowning, the tennis player wondered if Nadia Meirtschin was somewhere in the club. She wouldn't be surprised if she was. Nadia seemed to show up at every gay and lesbian hotspot at one time or another. Usually for several visits in a weekend.

Once they reached their destination, Alice hopped around to face Dana, leaning against the bar and hooking her fingers into the loops of the brunette's jeans. Pulling her forward until they were pressed close together and smiling slowly, her brown eyes twinkled. "I've got an important question for you, Dane," murmured Alice. "And I need you to answer with complete honesty, okay?"

"Of course," replied Dana, looking confused.

Alice's smile grew a tad naughty and leaning in close, she whispered into Dana's ear, "What and how much did you drink when you did your booty dance during Shane's yacht party?"

"Al!" cried Dana who blushed dark red at the question. Looking across the club, she muttered, "I can't believe you're asking that. I mean... that dance was... god," she groaned and shook her head in irritation. "I made an ass out of myself."

A soft hand stroked her cheek tenderly and Dana turned to look into brown eyes that held amusement, yes, but also a very obvious desire. "I thought you were sexy," Alice revealed, saying the words low and husky into Dana's ear. "So what if it was a stupid dance? I still thought you were sexy as hell when you did it." She then pushed aside brown hair to leave a kiss on Dana's pulse point before moving upwards to capture her lips in a slow and sensual exploration. When they parted with a whimper from the tennis player, Alice drawled, "I want to see you dance like that again."

The protest on Dana's lips died at the caress of pale hands over her abdomen, slipping just slightly past the top of her pants. With a pathetic groan, her forehead fell onto Alice's shoulder and she said in a frustrated mutter, "Tequila shooters. I had many countless tequila shooters."

"I love you," Alice growled into her lips and she seized them in a passionate kiss that took everything Dana had to offer. Leaving her shaken and quivering in desire as the blonde bounced around to face the bar and shout, "I need tequila shooters! Many countless tequila shooters!"

Shaking her head and wondering why she had given in so easily, Dana looked over the club and stopped at the sight of Shane speaking with Carmen. Although to her it appeared to be less like talking and more like Shane was apologizing to Carmen who seemed to be taking it in perfect stride. Rolling her eyes, Dana reflected on the good luck that Shane had when it came to women. Then again, maybe it wasn't just good luck.

It was also that stupid nipple confidence.

Smiling at the lazy touch of lithe fingers as they spread possessively across her stomach, Dana turned to Alice who wore an almost evil smile and held up a shot glass. "Bottoms up!" she chirped happily, offering it to Dana.

Peering around Alice to see that she had an entire tray of tequila shooters lined up for future consumption, Dana whined, "Al... please, no. I don't want to get that drunk again. It wasn't fun. The hangover nearly killed me."

"But the sexy booty dance!" Alice exclaimed, forming a gloomy pout and looking very much like a child who had just been told Santa Claus didn't actually exist.

Staring at Alice's pout then at the tequila shooter and then at Alice's pout, Dana grimaced and downed it all at once. And as she found herself pulled in for a deep kiss, thorough and eager, her tongue sucked and stroked, Dana reasoned that the hangover hadn't been all that bad. 

\---

An hour passed and Dana still didn't consider herself drunk enough to perform the booty dance as Alice had dubbed it but she was drunk enough to grin stupidly at Shane and whack her on the back a little too hard in congratulations. The hair stylist propelled forward at Dana's touch, almost falling out of her seat and grabbing the table in front of her she grinned at her more than a little tipsy friend.

"Fuck, that hurt man," muttered Shane, grinning despite herself. Rubbing her now sore shoulder, she asked, "What was that for?"

Nodding over at Carmen who sat at their table, grinning and talking with Alice about music, Dana leaned closer to Shane and said in an exaggerated whisper, "You're smooth. She played that liar, liar, you're a goddamn liar song but she forgave you." Another grin forming, Dana whapped Shane who groaned and took the hit, propelling forward in her seat again. "You're smooth!"

"And you're fucking drunk," Shane chuckled. Tilting her head at Dana who studied her blearily, she asked, "Why are you this drunk anyway, Dane?"

"Gotta get drunk to do the booty dance," confessed Dana, looking around suspiciously before she grabbed a tequila shooter and downed it. Setting it down on the table with a thump, she locked eyes with Shane. "Gotta get really drunk."

"The booty dance?" echoed Shane, frowning. She studied her friend then shaking her head, she rumbled, "Dude. I don't want to know, okay? You just keep that shit to yourself, all right?"

Releasing a loud bark of laughter, Dana waved her hands frantically about in a grand gesture. "I wish I could keep the booty dance to myself but I can't! And that's why I'm drinking," she supplied in somber tones, pausing to down another shot.

"Shit, man," Shane chuckled again, shaking her head in amusement. Though she knew she shouldn't, the hair stylist couldn't help but be entertained by drunken Dana. She was exactly like regular Dana but without that tiny part of her personality that held her back from saying everything she thought. And that small bit Dana held back had opinions on some pretty interesting stuff. Her gaze eventually rested on Carmen who wore a wide smile on her features, laughing and nodding at whatever Alice was saying. Watching her, Shane felt the same warmth seize her as it had the past few days. She didn't know what it was about this girl that got to her but she wanted to find out, that much was for sure. Feeling the weight a solemn gaze on her, Shane turned to see Dana staring at her with lidded blue eyes. "You okay?" asked Shane in concern.

"You did the right thing," answered Dana, expression veiled but a tiny smile tugged at her lips. Patting Shane's hand, she twisted in her seat and reached across the table to steal Alice's drink. She took a slow sip then grinned around the glass at Shane and pronounced, "I promise it's worth it."

Shane grinned back in response and started to reply but was interrupted by the gleeful cry of Carmen as she said, "No way! I love their music. I didn't think anyone liked them but me."

"Like them? I love them," declared Alice, looking equally giddy. She cleared her throat then sang in scarily upbeat tones, "I am a superstar with a big big house and a big big car..."

"And I don't care who you are!" Carmen sang along, collapsing into a fit of laughter with Alice, the two women having to hang onto each other to maintain their balance and not fall out of their seats from how hard they were laughing.

"God, I love Toy-Box," sighed Alice, wiping at her eyes. She gestured her hands expressively and said, "They're just silly, you know? I think it's great how they don't take their music that seriously. I mean, no offense," she nodded at Carmen. "But a lot of DJs are so fucking snobby about their music. It tends to take the fun out of the whole thing. And isn't dancing about fun?"

"Totally," agreed Carmen, dipping her head. Her eyes shifted over to look at Shane and she locked their eyes in an intense gaze. "Though I think sometimes dancing should be about sex. Dancing can be the closest thing to fucking."

"Like the booty dance!" crowed Dana triumphantly before she downed yet another shot.

"Booty dance?" Carmen's brow furrowed and she looked perplexed.

Smoothly rising to her feet to take Carmen's hand in her own, Shane pulled her forward in a gentle request to go with her. One that Carmen couldn't possibly refuse when she felt skilled hands fall to easily hold her waist. They weaved their way through the crowd and towards where Carmen had her equipment set up. Shane pushed thick hair back to murmur, rumbling and amused, in her ear, "Trust me when I say that you don't wanna know." 

"Yeah?" asked Carmen, her eyes dark and glowing, turning to face Shane as they had stopped in their walk having reached her station. Pulling the skinny brunette forward so there was only a breath between them. "I should trust you?"

"I want you to trust me," said Shane sober and soft.

Slowly tracing a path upwards, her fingers playing with Shane's perpetually crazed hair, Carmen moved in close to whisper, "I do trust you."

They parted from their kiss with groans from them both and Shane's eyes were lidded in desire as she murmured in a subdued request, "Play something sexy."

"Okay," breathed Carmen, stroking Shane's cheek.

"Play something sexy," Shane repeated in an almost dangerous inflection that promised countless untold things. "And I'll dance for you."

"I'll play something sexy," promised Carmen, sliding closer to wrap her fingers in Shane's hair. Her breath warm and inviting against pale skin as she continued, "But listen to the lyrics." Pulling away to deliver a sensual but teasing kiss on Shane's lips, she murmured, "The lyrics are for you."

Mesmerized by the sway of Carmen's hips, Shane chuckled, "Fuck me."

\---

"Don't you understand me... I don't feel anymore what I felt before..." The music boomed throughout The Planet and finishing the last of her beer, Gabby decided she hated the song.

The song lyrics served as a reminder of her life and she didn't want a reminder of that. But then again, it was fairly difficult to escape your life when you're busy living it. Is it even possible to escape from what you're living anyway? Maybe through death but suicide wasn't Gabby's thing. She usually enjoyed life far too much to think of such a thing.

Usually she got what she wanted. Which was good because Gabby had the most awful personality flaw. A flaw she had ever since she was a small child. Which was simply that she was fickle. Horribly, horribly, fickle. The moment she couldn't have something was when she became interested in it.

And if she was specifically told that she couldn't have something? Oh, well then Gabby would move heaven and earth to prove the person who told her that absolutely wrong.

Dana had made it very clear that Gabby couldn't have Alice.

Naturally if you follow the pattern that was Gabby's awful personality flaw it led to the reality that she now wanted Alice. But it was more than just that. She liked Alice, genuinely liked her. There was a reason that she kept going back to the journalist besides the fact that Alice would let her. Gabby really did feel she and Alice shared some strange connection. They clicked perfectly when it came so many things. From their taste in music, movies, books, to hell... nearly everything in life you could imagine they shared a common interest in.

Okay, maybe not everything. Alice hadn't been that into the S&M gear she had attempted to bring into their sexual play but that was one thing. They had hundreds of other things in common.

Not dancing like an idiot being one of them, Gabby thought bitterly, waving to the bartender for another beer. She grimaced at the sight of Dana doing a strange dance on the tiny stage used for bands to give performances. Although the grimace was more aimed at the fact that Alice was clearly enjoying the strange dance immensely.

Taking a large drink of the beer, Gabby sighed and averted her gaze, not wanting to watch. She hated being like this. Acting fucking morose and pathetic. That wasn't who she wanted to be. Hell, to be honest, that just wasn't her! But she couldn't help being this way. Gabby had always thought Alice would be there for her when she was ready to stop screwing around and have an actual relationship.

The scenario was planned in her mind. It had been for years. She would finally decide it was time and she would go to Alice, apologize to her and tell her she wanted to have the real thing with her and Alice would take her back because Alice always took her back and once she did Gabby would make up for all her previous shitty treatment. Then they would ride off into the sunset or something fittingly cliché. Who the fuck knows.

Who the fuck would know? Not her. Because now Alice wouldn't be taking her back. Because now, for the first time in five years, Gabby had Alice under her skin but she knew Alice didn't have Gabby under hers. And knowing that killed Gabby.

Alice was meant for her.

They always went back to each other. Didn't that count for anything with Alice? Didn't she understand that she meant more to Gabby than any of those other women? Gabby never went back for more. Never! But she went back to Alice time and time again and Gabby thought Alice knew what that meant.

Maybe she did know and maybe she just didn't care anymore. Not as long as she had the tennis player. Gabby grimaced again and unable to stop herself, she looked to the stage and saw Dana had ceased her strange dance. Unfortunately for Gabby, she had stopped only because she was busy making out with Alice at the edge of the stage, the writer had her pressed up against a wall, her hands sliding underneath the brunette's shirt to cup her breasts. Gabby's face darkened on watching Dana's lips form Alice's name in what was no doubt a gasp of pleasure.

Powerless to rip her gaze away, Gabby watched them. She watched Alice kiss Dana slow and deep and thorough, she watched Dana desperately cling to Alice, she watched Alice whisper loving words into Dana's ear, she watched and she watched until she couldn't watch anymore. Finishing off her beer in a single gulp, Gabby tossed her money carelessly onto the bar and stalked out of The Planet, her mind finally made up.

She would do what she did tonight. Watching and waiting. Every relationship had its problems and no doubt so would this one. And as soon as those problems arose, Gabby would step in to take advantage of the situation. Doing such a thing would take plenty of time and patience but she was certain she could do it.

This was about claiming what was hers.

\---

The problem with professional athletes was that they were professional athletes, mused Frank, watching as Dana's legs bounced nervously in what he was sure had to be some strange training routine. When his clients that were athletes felt any sort of anxiety they always expressed it in the same way. Through physical activity. Often annoying physical activity.

Dana was on the 3,491 leg bounce by her count when Frank cleared his throat and said, "Did Alice tell you if she would make it for the meeting?"

After saying this, Frank made a quick and he was sure, highly ineffective, prayer she would. From what he had seen, the blonde tended to be a calming influence on Dana. Which meant if she showed up Dana might stop her leg bouncing before she bounced a hole into the hardwood floors of Conference Room 12 in the Subaru Headquarters.

"She said she would," murmured Dana in response, still bouncing her legs. 

A smile formed on Dana's tanned features as she recalled Alice planning her stealth mission to escape from the LA Magazine offices. Marc had insisted she work within the scope of his hawk like vision on her The 80's: Don't Deux It article that he had a vested personal interest in. But despite the obvious wrath it would inspire, Alice told Dana one way or another she was going to be with Dana for her meeting with Tonya if that was what the tennis player wanted. Which, naturally, it was.

"That's good," said Frank in encouraging tones. "You said you play better when she attends your matches, didn't you? That seeing her helps put you at ease?"

"Yeah," Dana nodded, biting on her bottom lip and continuing to bounce her legs. She put her hands on her knees and now her hands were bouncing along with her legs.

"This should be the same then," Frank smiled warmly, reaching out to pat Dana's left hand which was covering her knee and bouncing with her leg. It was a kind gesture meant to not only soothe but to perhaps stop the irksome leg bouncing.

Sadly for Frank, it failed on both counts.

"Yeah," Dana repeated softly and she nodded her head again. This time in perfect synchronization with her leg bouncing and watching this, Frank heaved a sigh. 

The tell tale sound of the large conference room doors opening met their ears, causing Dana to pause in her leg bouncing and Frank to crane his head around, both of them hoping that it was Alice arriving. Whatever deity happened to hear Frank's prayers came through because the dyed blonde poked her head into the room and as soon as she took a step inside the Subaru employee that led her there closed the doors quickly behind her. Quick enough that Alice released a yelp and did a little leap forward, afraid the doors might actually hit her in the ass in the process of closing. 

Her hands entwined behind her back to cover her butt as if to protect it from the attacking doors, Alice looked at it and said in humorous offense, "Did you see that?" Shaking her head, Alice turned to Dana and Frank, a wry expression on her features. "A girl makes fun of a few unnecessary security procedures and the corporate minions get all huffy and near assault with her." 

"Al," Dana said her name like a prayer, causing Frank to think she had made her own requests to a higher power about the blonde making an appearance. She hovered slightly over her seat, not quite sitting and not quite standing, looking as if she was about to attempt the latter when Alice smiled then started a swift walk towards her. The nervous energy that Dana had become evaporated the instant the writer leaned down to meet their lips in a kiss. When they parted Dana rested her head against Alice's stomach, her arms circling around the other woman's waist as Alice placed her hands on top of Dana's head, stroking her hair gently. Several moments passed with them remaining in comfortable silence until Dana asked in slow and humorous suspicion, "What did you do to the Subaru building security?"

"You see how she is?" remarked Alice dryly, meeting Frank's eyes. "Always jumping to the conclusion I did something wrong." Heaving an overdramatic sigh, Alice said, "A girl makes a few practical jokes and suddenly people just don't trust you."

Scowling affectionately, Dana nudged Alice's stomach with her forehead, burrowing further in the embrace and peering at Frank who looked quietly amused with their interaction. "Don't listen to her, Frank. She broke into a friend of ours office on April's Fools and moved everything exactly one inch to the left just to drive her crazy because she's really anal retentive." Dana chuckled as she recalled the fury of Bette when she found out Alice was responsible for driving her insane all day as she knew something was wrong in her office but she couldn't figure out what the hell it was. The blonde had been pursued in a mad chase all over The Planet by Bette for at least ten minutes before she finally got caught when she rounded a corner a little too quickly, causing her to fall. "Bette was furious at you for months after, remember?"

"I think she finally got over it by the end of August," offered Alice, laughing at the memory of her ex-girlfriend's long lasting and bitter wrath.

"Well, after hearing that I simply must know," said Frank and his voice was laced with good humor. "What did our Ms. Alice Pieszecki do to the unsuspecting members of the Subaru security team?"

Rolling her eyes, Alice replied, "They wanted a million forms of ID for some reason. I mean, I'm a reporter, I'm used to having to present my Press ID, right? But they wanted five different forms of ID which is a bit excessive if you ask me. They're selling cars here not high level government secrets." Frank chuckled in quiet appreciation at this remark and Alice smirked then continued, "I decided to have fun with my fifth form of identification, that's all. Too bad for me Subaru security didn't think using my discount card for the International Love Boutique as ID was funny."

Bursting into delighted laughter, Frank asked, "That place over on Hollywood and Sycamore? The one that's famous for giving away free sets of batteries with all purchases?"

"That would be correct," drawled Alice, a twinkle in her brown eyes.

"Bad Al," accused Dana in a muffled murmur, choosing to remained hidden in Alice's arms, face resting against her flat stomach. Though her tone was a tad chastising the love behind her words was more than obvious. "Teasing the employees of my sponsors isn't allowed."

"Oh?" Alice lifted an eyebrow in droll observation. "Then, pray tell, why didn't a certain Subaru sponsored tennis player tell me about that little rule?"

"Because she thought all intelligent people knew that," said Dana, sounding smug and very entertained by her own comment. It was a feeling that soon ended when Alice reached down to prod her in a notoriously ticklish part of her body, making Dana squeal and try to break out their embrace as Alice held onto her tightly, grinning widely at the brunette's reaction. 

Leaning back into his seat, Frank politely averted his gaze on seeing Alice lower her head for another kiss but he couldn't stop a soft smile from forming on his craggy features. Though he had been present during many situations like this between the couple, he still found the instantaneous effect the blonde had on Dana amazing. The tennis player had quickly become one of Frank's favorite clients because of her unassuming nature. She was among the rare group of celebrities that didn't quite grasp the fact that they were actually famous. To Dana she was just like anyone else, feeling that the only thing setting her apart from others was her ability to swing a racket better than most. Something Frank thought perhaps Dana didn't consider to be that spectacular of an accomplishment. There was something delicate and shy in her that gave off a definite impression that Dana didn't think all that much of herself. A lack of self confidence, perhaps, but the second that Alice got anywhere in the vicinity of Dana it was immediately replaced with an easy contentment only someone who was totally comfortable in their own skin could have. 

Frank really had to get Alice to agree to accompany Dana whenever she was doing the meet and greets with her fans or just the public in general. No doubt having her there would result in making Dana a thousand times more beloved as the journalist brought out a relaxed and comfortable humor in the tennis player that overall professional athletes didn't tend to exhibit. 

Hearing the sound of movement, Frank felt safe to look and turned to the couple. Alice had settled into the chair on the right side of Dana, scooting it closer to the brunette as his eyes locked on them. Alice nodded at the clock on the far side of the room and said, "You're the expert, Frank. What does it mean when they're fifteen minutes late for a scheduled meeting?"

"Any number of things," said Frank as he somberly considered the different scenarios. "The one that's most likely being that Tonya is meeting with the Subaru people on her own as we speak. To let them know of our situation." His lips formed a devilish smile and he said, "Something that I myself already accomplished three days ago."

The journalist appeared ready to respond when the sound of the large conference doors opening met their ears again. This time it wasn't a hesitant head of blonde hair poking out from behind them but instead a voluptuous body confidently announcing its presence. But like with Alice as soon as Tonya was inside the room, the unseen Subaru employee swiftly shut the doors.

"Rude much?" huffed Tonya, frowning severely at the doors. Turning to fix her gaze on them, she tilted her head in a gesture of careful consideration, her dark eyes glinting. What Tonya saw they couldn't even guess but apparently it was amusing because she smiled widely as she strutted over to the conference table to sink into a chair directly across from them. "Alice," she drew the name out in a sing song pronunciation that was entirely too happy. "Did Dana ask you to join us?"

"Yeah, she did," Alice replied, her voice holding a distinct warning. She unconsciously reached down to thread her fingers with Dana's, squeezing her hand gently.

Dark eyes glinting still, Tonya watched them with a shrewd look that make all three present highly uncomfortable because it was the look of someone who knew. Though they would love to try and deny it, they all were aware of Tonya's talents when it came to people. She could read them as easily as most could read a book and that made her a very skilled negotiator. It helped her know what potential clients wanted before even they themselves did. Being around a person like that was often a nerve racking experience because it made it damn near impossible to hide things from them. Even worse was if you were on opposing sides as they now considered themselves to be.

Finally Tonya's sharp gaze lessened in power and a small understated smile tugged at her lips as she murmured, "That's sweet." Her delivery was soft and sincere, utterly shocking them and Tonya obviously noticed this, making her chuckle. "I'm sure it won't come as a surprise to any of you to hear I consider myself something of a business woman. And as a business woman," she drawled, her eyes holding them in a perceptive gaze, "I hardly consider feuding with you to be a profitable situation to be in. I meant what I said in my letter, Dana. Just because our romantic relationship is over is no reason for our business relationship to end with it. After all," Tonya lifted an eyebrow humorously, gesturing towards Alice. "There's no point in me even attempting to salvage the romance, is there Dana? You are in love with Alice, aren't you?"

"Yes, I are... I mean, am, I am," Dana sputtered, darting her attention between Tonya to Alice then back again, appearing thoroughly baffled over their current situation.

"Well then, there you go," stated Tonya wisely, waving her hands to accompany her words. She leaned down to retrieve her briefcase, resting it on the conference table to snap it open. "I spoke with Brian Karikawa and the other Subaru reps and they've agreed to give us a bit of time before coming up." Sifting through the briefcase, she pulled out some papers and slid them across the table towards the tennis player. When Dana didn't move and retained her blank and rather stunned expression, Tonya snapped her fingers. "Dana!" The brunette snapped out of her daze and looked at Tonya wide eyed. "I want you to look that over because I have a proposal for you." Tonya's gaze drifted over to Alice and she chuckled appreciatively. "The business sort, of course," she drawled. "I wouldn't want to make Alice jealous."

"No, we wouldn't want that," muttered Alice peevishly under her breath.

Reading through the papers with Frank and feeling altogether shocked at what they said, Dana looked at Tonya. "You've changed your mind about being involved with the endorsements?" 

"Not quite," Tonya said, clucking her tongue. "That is what will happen if you decide you don't like my proposal." Smiling brightly, she folded her arms on the table and leaned forward to lock her gaze with Dana's. "I want to make a deal with you if I could, Dana. I have a simply spectacular idea for a massive joint promotional and endorsement deal between Subaru and Fila that I plan to pitch today. I've already arranged for the Fila executives to be included in today's meeting," she supplied quickly, plowing on with her speech despite the obvious stunned state of her audience. "If you like my idea, my pitch, and my ability to seal this deal then I want you to give me a month to prove to you I can remain as your Manager to ensure your professional success and profit without it being the least bit uncomfortable between us."

"And if she doesn't like the idea?" asked Alice with disdain.

"That's where those papers come in," said Tonya, gesturing absently to the documents in Dana's hands. "I won't take the buy out but I will promise to remove myself from any active planning when it comes to the endorsements I've gotten Dana so far. I'll just collect the profits," Tonya chirped happily, her eyes reflecting a cunning glint as she did so. "Well?" She tilted her head and studied Dana carefully. "What do you say?"

Still looking utterly stupefied, Dana turned to Frank who leaned in and they murmured quietly amongst themselves leaving Alice to lock her gaze on Tonya who met Alice's eyes easily, not seeming the least bit ill at ease. Finally, Dana and Frank pulled apart and Dana released a whoosh of breath then dipping her head, she said rather shakily, "Okay. That's fine with us."

"I see," said Tonya slowly. Her eyes narrowed and she said sharply, "But is it fine with you, Dana?"

At this statement, Dana's mouth opened and closed like a fish but soon a determined look formed on her features and she said, "It's fine with me."

"Good," Tonya smiled in satisfaction.

\---

The doors to The Planet swung open, announcing Bette and Tina's entrance and to those observing, they looked every inch the super couple they had long been considered to be in many gay and lesbian dating circles. Winding their way through the myriad of tables, they stopped at the table of the newest couple of interest, Dana and Alice, who wore dazed looks on their faces.

Bette and Tina hovered by the table for several moments before Alice and Dana raised their heads up to look at them. In seconds, huge grins formed on their faces and Alice leapt to her feet to wrap the standing women into an exuberant hug.

"Oh my god!" Alice exclaimed, almost giddy. "This is great!"

They exchanged an amused look with Dana who remained sitting and smiled fondly at the blonde's actions. When Alice broke away from the hug, Bette chuckled. "Alice, we're not back together."

"What? I was just saying hi," said Alice giving an grin and waving her hands around. "But you know, just for information sake... what are you guys doing here? Together and all?"

"We were wondering if you'd like to have your apartment back," said Tina, grinning and releasing a laugh when Alice wrapped her and Bette up in another hug. 

"Nice! Nice! This is good! This is good!" squealed Alice, shaking the couple slightly side to side in her enthusiasm. Pulling back, she clapped her hands and pointing at Tina, she wore a stern look of exaggeration on her features. "When can I kick you out, missy?"

"We already took the liberty of kicking me out," Tina laughed, looking to Bette and smiling. "Bette came by this morning and helped me take my things to the house. I'm going to stay there while we look for an apartment."

"I'm going to see Kit," murmured Bette, reaching down to squeeze Tina's hand. Walking away backwards, she locked eyes with Alice and wildly waved at Tina in a giddy movement. As if sensing this, Tina turned around and Bette feigned fixing her hair.

"Okay, give," said Alice, tugging on Tina's hand and helping her sit comfortably in the chair across from herself and Dana. "What's going on? Are you guys together or not?"

"Yeah," Dana piped in for the first time. "Because you look together." 

Unable to help getting swept up in her friends obvious delight over seeing her and Bette back in couple mode, Tina giggled and said with a smile in her voice, "I'm not ruling it out."

"Then why get an apartment?" asked Dana, guileless in her curiosity. She truly didn't understand the need for Tina to find a place of her own if she really did want to try and be with Bette again.

"I need this to go slow," said Tina, looking away from them and fixing her eyes off in the distance. She wasn't looking at anything in particular, she just needed to focus on something other than her friends in order to say this. "I need to go at my own pace and I don't think that will happen if I stay with Bette." Turning back to Dana and Alice, she smiled softly. "I want to try being friends with Bette and then we'll see about dating and the rest."

"Makes sense," said Alice as she gave Tina a quiet smile of encouragement.

Noticing the pile of paperwork on the table for the first time, Tina remarked wryly, "Don't tell me these are your notes for that I Hate The 80's article Marc wants you to write, Al. I didn't think the topic required this much research."

"Actually," Alice drawled, turning to Dana with an expression of beaming pride. "That is the contract for Dana's new endorsement deal. It's a joint venture between Subaru and Fila who are going to sponsor a series of events featuring Dana during Gay Pride."

"I'm doubly sponsored!" announced Dana happily, doing a cute bouncing dance in her seat that made Alice chuckle while brushing back a loose lock of brown hair. 

Reading through the paperwork with interest now, Tina's eyes widened as she got to the payment section. "Dana," she said in awed tones. "This is huge. It's six figures that's almost at seven figures if you ask me." Looking up at the tennis player who was wearing a smile so big it could possibly crack her face, Tina laughed in happy amazement. "Frank got you this?"

Dana and Alice exchanged a look then fixed their eyes back on Tina who was waiting expectantly for a reply. "No, it wasn't Frank," said Dana, looking sheepish. "My Manager got me this deal."

"Tonya got you this," said Tina slowly.

"Yeah, she did," admitted Dana, still looking thoroughly sheepish.

"Tonya, your ex-fiance... the woman who wrecked your condo... the one you left for Al... she got you this deal?" Tina said this in a state of absolute disbelief. 

"Yeah, she did," repeated Dana again, now looking less sheepish.

"Tonya is like... I don't know, the lesbian evil genius of Managers," Alice said, attempting to somehow explain the situation. "I mean, you should've seen her, T. In like... fifteen minutes she had Subaru and Fila signing on the dotted line, throwing all their money Dana's way. Very cool but also somehow scary." Looking to Dana, she asked with a frown, "What did you call it, babe?"

"Mindwashing," Dana replied, meeting Alice's gaze somberly. "You know, a combination of mind control and brain washing. When the meeting first started they weren't into the pitch at all but by the time she was through they were practically attacking her to get the contracts signed. It was sort of like the more she talked the more they wanted to agree with her."

"God, that was creepy," Alice shuddered, recalling the meeting. "But she got the job done." A smile tugged at her lips and moving forward, she cupped Dana's cheek and leaned in to put their faces a breath apart. "I'm so happy for you," she murmured. "This is going to be fantastic for your career."

"I know," said Dana, releasing a tiny cry of excitement, her legs bouncing. Smiling into the kiss Alice deposited on her lips, she caressed the blonde's neck when they pulled apart. "You have to be with me though. I'm not doing the float thing if you aren't there. Tonya said it would be okay."

"You guys," Tina's voice broke through their reverie. They turned to face her, taking note of the incredulous expression she wore on her features. "You aren't serious, are you? Tonya isn't really still your Manager, is she Dana?"

Exchanging another look that Tina was both charmed and irritated by, the couple faced her and Dana gave a small shrug of her tanned shoulders. "She really is still my Manager," said Dana as if it was the natural thing to expect. "There wasn't any point in firing her. She's great at her job."

"Evil genius great," agreed Alice, nodding.

"But she's Dana's ex-fiance," said Tina slowly and she heavily emphasized on the word ex-fiance, staring them down as if they were a pair of two headed aliens. 

"And she's my current Manager," said Dana who did a fairly decent impression of Tina on saying this. "One who just got me a six figure endorsement deal."

"Al, you can't possibly be okay with this," exclaimed Tina, turning her attention to the dyed blonde. "You know this is wrong, right?"

"Wrong, right, I don't know, T," murmured Alice thoughtfully. She shrugged and tilted back in her chair. "Weird, yes, definitely very fucking weird but she's good for Dana's career. Tonya is setting Dane up to be the gayest thing in tennis since Martina's tacky huge ass glasses."

"Sexiest too," Dana chimed in, grinning impishly.

Alice nodded her head vigorously then turned quickly back to Tina, leaning forward in her chair and almost tipping out of it in the process. "You won't believe this," Alice declared in overwhelming delight. "We get out the meeting and Frank gets a call back from The Advocate. Dana's going to be the cover story for the June issue."

"Oh, oh, oh, she's my cover girl," sang Dana off key.

Tina and Alice stared at Dana for a long and very silent moment trying to process if the tennis player had indeed just recited a lyric from a New Kids On The Block song. They decided it best not to broach the topic and Tina stared at Alice, looking baffled.

"I'm sorry, Al," said Tina quietly, frowning slightly. "But I just don't get it. You hate Tonya... you were so against her marrying Dana, even before you realized you were in love with her. How can you be okay with the idea of her staying in Dana's life like this?"

Heaving a sigh, Alice ran her fingers through messy blonde hair and shrugging, she said, "I did hate her as Dana's fiance because I thought she was a money grubbing greedy celebrity chasing opportunist. I still do, in fact," revealed Alice wryly, laughing a bit. "But while those are horrible traits to have in a future wife they're actually quite good ones for a current Manager."

"What if she tries to get Dana back? You know, through working with her," said Tina almost anxiously. When she saw the insulted look on Dana's bronzed features she quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Dane! I don't think you'd cheat on Al, I trust you. But Tonya--"

"T," said Alice in soothing tones, reaching out to clasp her friend's hands. "You're sweet to worry about us but there's nothing to worry about when it comes to Tonya." She looked to Dana who had a tiny scowl on her features, her arms folded over her chest in the pose of someone in the midst of an extreme pout. Turning back to Tina with a mischievous grin, Alice said, "Tonya has already found someone higher up on the celebrity food chain than Dana."

"Who?" asked Tina, blinking.

"Melissa Rivers," Alice uttered solemnly.

Alice stared at Tina. Tina stared at Alice. Dana stared off to the side pout/scowling. People passing by stared at all three women.

Then Tina formed the most disgusted expression of disbelief they had ever seen then demanded loud enough for everyone in The Planet to hear, "Is Melissa Rivers even gay?!"

\---

"I've got it, Dane! I've finally discovered what the problem with pregnant ladies is!" Alice's voice declared, floating out into the living room of her apartment from the guest room Tina had been staying in. They were currently occupied with cleaning up after their friend's abrupt departure from her apartment. One that apparently wasn't the neatest activity. It made them wonder how the hell Bette managed to keep her office at the CAC so immaculate. Then again, maybe Bette only cared about keeping her own surroundings looking nice. Not other peoples. That would be very Bette. Poking her head out from the room, holding a bright pink feather duster that she pointed in Dana's direction, Alice said, "Because they're pregnant ladies no matter who technically makes the mess they never get stuck doing the cleaning because, come on, they're pregnant ladies!"

"Dammit," Dana wore an exaggerated grimace, snapping her fingers loudly for good measure as she paused in the midst of her living room cleaning. "That's it, Al. You've won this round of what's wrong with pregnant ladies." 

"For the fifth time!" cried Alice gleefully, darting back into the guest room with bright pink feather duster in hand. "I rule at this game, it should be on ESPN."

Chuckling fondly, Dana put her hands on her hips and looked around the living room. It was probably as clean as it was ever going to get, knowing Alice's tendency to wildly strewn her belongings about when on a mad search for something. Blue eyes drifted over the room, finally stopping at the large dry erase board hanging on the wall. Staring at the infamous chart, she noticed a huge oversight. There was Alice, name outlined in red marker with a zigzag, there was Dana not having any outline at all, and there was no line linking the two of them together.

Huge oversight indeed.

Darting her eyes to the guest room where she could hear Alice rummaging about and talking to herself about no doubt what else was wrong with pregnant ladies, Dana tip toed over to the chart and grabbed a marker. Biting her bottom lip in concentration, she drew a bold line from herself to Alice. Then she took a step back, admiring her work with pride.

And then she decided it wasn't bold enough, so she darted forward to go over the line again, making it darker. Only then she decided it was too dark and it needed some color so she found a red marker and started to draw little circles around the line. But then it was too red and black so she located a blue marker to make a series of zigzags matching the ones around Alice's name.

By the time that Alice entered the room, Dana had decided that since blue needed green then green must need yellow and was searching for a marker to suit this obvious need. Looking from her busy girlfriend to the chart and seeing the very elaborate line the tennis player had drawn between their names, Alice grinned and shook her head.

Sometimes Dana really was just so fucking cute.

"Well, lookee here, we've got ourselves a regular lesbian Picasso of chart artwork," drawled Alice teasingly, creeping up on Dana and grabbing her waist when the tennis player froze at her words. She pulled the squirming brunette back into her, laughing and kissing her neck, smiling on feeling the tanned skin already heating up in an obvious blush. "I can see you've been hard at work."

"Your chart was wrong," Dana muttered after a few moments of silence, sounding thoroughly embarrassed. "I wanted to fix it."

Chuckling at this, Alice rested her chin on Dana's shoulder to study the chart and Dana's extravagant line artwork more closely. "Is that what that is? I think it's minimalist art deco myself," mused Alice. "I guess we'll have to ask art expert Bette about that though."

"Al," groaned Dana pitifully, feeling humiliated. The feeling was soon soothed by the blonde pressing closer yet to deliver a warm kiss on her neck and whisper an 'I love you' ardently in her ear. Leading the athlete to remain comfortably in Alice's arms when she asked rather hesitantly, "Why didn't you have us linked on the chart?"

Hearing the understated hurt in Dana's words, Alice took her time to stop, think, and consider the real answer to her question. A soft sigh escaped her lips and tucking her chin back onto Dana's shoulder, she murmured, "Because as much as I love the idea of the chart it's fucked up science in a way, you know? There's something kind of cold about it... detached, I guess. And what I feel for you, what we have, that's so far gone from science and cold and detached as you can get. I don't know," Alice admitted, sounding entirely frustrated at lacking words for one of the few times in her life. "That's the best I can explain and I know it was shitty of me--"

Alice was cut off by the urgent press of Dana's lips on her own, tongue seeking and getting entrance to suck slow, soft, and sensuous, making the blonde release a low moan into Dana's mouth. When they parted, Dana muttered into her lips, "It wasn't shitty. You weren't shitty."

Then she pulled Alice to her again, devouring her in the frantic but still loving way only Dana managed to have. How the athlete made love was something truly astonishing to Alice because she could be the most wild, enthusiastic, and fervent lover but at the same time she was achingly tender and kind. Things that didn't seem to fit well together when it came to sexual personality characteristics but that was Dana and Alice loved that about her so very much. 

Right around the moment Dana tugged the shirt off and over Alice's head did the journalist realize they were currently involved in the process of soon to be having sex. Which normally was a simply spectacular thing but normally they both hadn't been cleaning her incredibly dirty apartment for two hours and possessed a smell of evidence for this.

"Dana," Alice separated from their kiss with a loud gasp. Losing her train of thought as warm hands fell to her abdomen and began to unbutton her jeans, slipping down and underneath her panties. "I really want to do this but..." Skilled fingers slipped further down, teasing Alice at the folds of her pussy and Dana peered up at her with blue eyes dark from desire. "But..."

"But...?" asked Dana, lifting an eyebrow and smiling as she began a slow rise up Alice's body. Kissing pale skin until she was standing, body pressed close, fingers playing outside her pussy, lips hovering over her own for a kiss. "What is it, Al?"

"We need to take a shower. We stink," said Alice, at last managing to get the words out and cursing herself when she felt Dana's fingers still. 

Sometimes she really did need to not be so fucking logical about certain things. But she didn't like the idea of starting sex off stinky. You were supposed to become stinky through sex, not the other way around. Then again, Alice considered, Dana really never did stink when she was sweaty. Which was most likely part of why Alice found sweaty Dana so damn hot. 

The still fingers moved but unfortunately for Alice, they moved to slip entirely out of her and she moaned at the loss. She was shitty. What was the big deal about stinky sex anyway? Maybe she could get Dana to forgive her mood killing statement and get things back to where they were before her stupid brain interfered.

"Okay," Dana drew the word out, her eyes twinkling and lips quirking in that adorable little girl smile that always served to delight Alice. Though this time it held an added sensuality to it that was putting the blonde's hormones into definite overdrive. Linking a pale hand in her own, Dana gently tugged a bewildered Alice towards the bathroom. "Lets take a shower."

And Alice's brain, stupid and interfering as it was, managed to correctly interpret this statement as thus: Dana + Alice + Horny + Shower = Shower sex.

God, her life kicked so much ass right now.

Stopping once inside the bathroom, Dana quirked an eyebrow in amusement at the sight of Alice having devolved into what looked to her like a teenager so eager at the idea of what was to come they couldn't quite figure out what to do next. A smile curling on her features, Dana stepped forward to leave a soft and teasingly breathless kiss on Alice's lips and sliding down, her hands tracing the outline of the blonde's body as she went, Dana pulled Alice's jeans down to leave them pooled at her feet. Peering up, the fond smile returned to Dana's features as she saw Alice had become so entranced by the athlete she couldn't seem to move. Pushing herself upwards, Dana was kneeling as she wrapped her arms around Alice's waist, kissing and tasting the skin of the flat stomach in front of her. And as fingers tangled in her hair, Dana's head fell to reverently kiss pale thighs, moving a path downwards, smiling at the gasp she was rewarded at this action. Wrapping gentle fingers around one leg and then the other to lift them out of the jeans at their feet. 

Then her hands returned in a path upwards again, tugging the black silk panties down and disposing them with much less patience. Dana rose to her feet, unsnapping Alice's bra to get rid of it in the same manner, and arching an eyebrow, she saw that the blonde was stuck in her frozen state. But maybe that could provide a bit of fun in the meantime, she considered. 

Just as Dana was wondering exactly how to perform a proper strip tease in a tiny bathroom, Alice stirred from her temporary lust filled daze and was on the tennis player in an instant. In mere seconds, Dana found herself naked and captured in another of Alice's deep and endless kisses. Pressing her bare back against the cold tiles of the bathroom, her tongue sweet and insistent, sucking and tugging, wanting as much as she could have of Dana. Groaning into the kiss, the brunette hastily pulled the shower curtain shut and buried her fingers in messy blonde hair.

Smiling on seeing and feeling Dana's impatience match her own, Alice grasped at the shower valve on the wall, turning on the stream of water to then sink delightfully back into the kiss. This lasted for perhaps .37 seconds and then they both screeched, jumping away from the stream of water falling on them that happened to be freezing cold.

"Turn it off!" shrieked Dana in a slight panic, her back pressed against the far wall of the shower as far away from the cold water as she could get.

"Okay, okay!" responded Alice, somehow managing to sound just as panicked. Her back was against the side wall, sucking her body to it in a strange attempt to stay away from the cold water as she reached for the shower valve, adjusting it until the water would be at a much warmer temperature. Experimentally sticking her hand out, she sighed on feeling the water at a more acceptable level and turned her head on hearing Dana laugh. Arching an eyebrow on seeing the tennis player covering her mouth with her hand in an attempt to hide her giggles, Alice drawled in sardonic observation, "What?"

Dropping her hand a bit, Dana giggled and said, "We just took a cold shower, Al."

"Funny," Alice rolled her eyes and stepped up to Dana, capturing her lips that were still involved with a massive giggle fit. Smiling into the kiss, she murmured, "You're such a geek."

"And you're a dork," Dana murmured back in loving accusation, moaning low and in her throat when Alice's hands slipped down to mimic her actions of earlier. Teasing at the edge of her pussy, slipping in then out, playing at the slick folds. "Al," she groaned and lifted upwards, standing on her tip toes, tangling her fingers in messy blonde hair now wet from the stream of water.

The water washing down on them, Alice rose to meet Dana and buried her fingers inside, absorbing the moans and quivers into herself, deepening their kiss. Her thumb a light press over Dana's clit, up then down, sometimes a circular motion, teasing her in the whispering touch. The exact opposite of Alice's fingers, exploring long and hard and insistent, Dana pressed against the wet tiles of the shower by Alice's body, the blonde's left arm snaked around her waist, holding her firm and steady and still for her thrusts. 

Dana's head tilted back into the tiles and her mouth opened in a wordless cry, the water falling down on her and Alice's mouth hot on her skin, licking the streams away from her neck when the orgasm seized her. The water fell, steady and warm on them as Dana sank boneless into Alice who was as close as she could possibly get, face buried in the crook of Dana's neck, underneath her chin, kissing her shaking pulse and fingers at rest inside of her.

"Are you all right?" whispered Alice, after they remained in a long silence, only the sound of the water falling meeting their ears. 

Instead of replying, Dana pulled Alice to her, aggressively spinning her around to land against the wall. Capturing her lips for a searing kiss that left the blonde moaning into her and begging for her to return when they parted. Dana's mouth moving down her body in a different type of exploration. Fingers reaching to tangle in the wavy brown locks, wet and thick from the water falling, Alice gasped as Dana's tongue parted her. Left hand buried in Dana's hair, right hand flat against the wall tiles, both where they were in an attempt to hold herself steady, Alice cried at the sensation of Dana pressing inside her, sucking and tasting and teasing. 

Water fell on them in consistent streams, covering and washing away what Dana enjoyed to taste the most. And when Alice came, her body still and frozen, losing all muscle, she slid down the wet wall tiles to rest at the shower floor with Dana. Bodies tangled together, unable to tell one from the other, the water blanketed them, warm and comforting, they sighed into the feel of skin on skin.

Then Dana nudged Alice with her forehead, peering up to meet their eyes, wearing her mischievous little girl smile and she said, "That was fun."

Chuckling appreciatively, Alice seized Dana's lips for a kiss that definitely echoed the affirmative.

\---

Shower sex was so fun, in fact, that the couple only found themselves removing themselves from it when their skin began to prune rather uncomfortably. They were enjoying the lovely rose tinted aftermath of their activities, Alice crouched at Dana's feet, slowly petting her dry with a fluffy towel, grinning when she peeked up at the feel of the athlete's fingers tangling in her hair. Rising slowly, taking the towel with her to dry Dana's skin on the way, Alice kissed her languid and unhurried.

They were kissing this way when an obnoxious ringtone blared in the air. One that Alice didn't recognize which meant it wasn't her cell phone that was ringing. Pulling back from the kiss and smiling at Dana's groan of disapproval, Alice remarked with an almost evil humor, "That's a cell phone ringing and it's not my cell phone. Because what did I do with my cell phone per a certain tennis player's express orders?"

"You turned it off," Dana said in a pathetic whine, stepping near Alice and trying to reach for her but the blonde laughed and dodged nimbly. "We can ignore it, Al. Lets ignore it." Forming her best Bambi doe eyes, she continued, "Please, can we ignore it?"

"Answer and turn off your cell phone then come back," commanded Alice, propelling Dana out of her bathroom and closing the door behind her. 

The lock turned loudly and Dana pouted for a second then she realized the faster she answered the phone the faster they could return to their previous activities. Dashing over to her phone, she picked it up with a breathless, "This is Dana Fairbanks."

"Dana," a familiar voice not quite warm and not quite brittle filled her ear and immediately Dana bit her lip nervously. "This is your mother."

"Mom," Dana sighed heavily, sinking down onto Alice's bed. "Hi. How are you? I'm sorry I haven't called you but things have been kind of crazy. I... I got a new endorsement deal today." Unable to help from getting excited, she laughed happily. "It's with Fila."

"Darling!" Sharon released a happy noise and she could hear her mother talking to her father in the background. "Irwin, our Dana has an endorsement with Fila now. Isn't that wonderful?"

There was shuffling then Irwin was on the line, saying warmly, "That's fantastic, sweetheart." He paused and then asked in rather somber tones, "How much did you get?"

"Irwin," muttered Sharon in a bit of disgust. "Don't ask her something like that. If Dana wants to tell us how much she was able to get then she'll tell us so. Isn't that right, darling?"

"Actually, I wanted to get together with Dad sometime soon to talk to him about my finances," offered Dana quietly. "Would that be okay with you, Dad? We could have lunch and go over the papers then maybe a round of golf after? How does that sound?"

"You said lunch and golf, sweetheart, I'm there," said Irwin, chuckling. There was the loud blare of music and then he said in a frustrated mutter, "Howie and that damn rap music. Do you know he actually had the walls shaking yesterday? I ought to go show him our replastering bill. In fact, that's a good idea. I'm going to do that now." He paused and then his voice was warm and caring as he said, "I'll talk to you later about lunch and golf, Dana. Call me tomorrow, all right?"

"Okay, Dad," murmured Dana, smiling in relief. She really did want her father's input about her new contracts because he was a strange kind of genius when it came to that sort of thing. After her father left there was silence and Dana bit her lip again. Though she hated to admit it, she had always preferred her father to her mother in some ways. Her father was always so warm to her no matter what went on. Since she had come out, he spoke briefly to her in private and confessed he didn't understand but Dana was still his little girl and that's all he cared about. She had yet to get such a response from her mother and it honestly stung. Unable to take the silence anymore, Dana said hesitantly, "Mom? You there?"

Right as she said the word Mom was when the bathroom door opened and locking eyes with a naked Alice, she smiled at the look of wide eyed surprise the blonde wore. In an instant, Alice was at her side, sinking onto the bed behind her, arms going around her waist, breasts a soft press against her back, wrapping Dana up in an embrace both soothing and reassuring. 

"What's up?" mouthed Alice silently, peering around Dana's shoulder to meet their eyes. 

"No idea," Dana mouthed silently back, shrugging and sighing happily when the journalist kissed her neck as she pushed back a lock of hair. Alice rested her chin on Dana's shoulder as the tennis player tried again. "Are you there, Mom?"

"I phoned your condo first, you know," Sharon's voice returned at last, sounding altogether strained as she spoke. "I gather from your new answering machine message you and Tonya are no longer getting married? And you've... moved on... with that friend of yours?"

"Her name is Alice," replied Dana tightly, feeling herself getting angry and hating that. Hating how her mother could make her feel small and weak and useless with just a few words. "You've met her more times than I can probably count, Mom."

"Yes," Sharon sighed heavily. There was silence, perhaps to let her arrange her thoughts, then she said bitterly, "I would have liked some knowledge of what is going on in your life, Dana. I am still your mother, no matter what the situation. I want to know what is happening to my daughter."

"Including what's happening in her love life?" questioned Dana incredulously. "Because that isn't what it sounds like to me, Mom. It sounds like you want me to edit out 'the gay' in my life and then report back to you what's acceptable. You know, like getting new endorsement deals from Fila."

"Dana," said Sharon, sounding thoroughly exasperated. She sighed again then murmured, "Perhaps we should speak another time. When you call Daddy tomorrow... that's when we'll continue this. After you've had some time to calm yourself."

"I am calm," muttered Dana under her breath, relaxing only when she felt Alice smile against her shoulder and kiss her softly. "That's fine, Mom. I'll talk to you then."

Silence and then Sharon said uncomfortably, "I love you, Dana."

Then the sound of a dial tone and dropping the cell phone from her ear, Dana stared at it blankly as she held down the talk button until it was turned off per Alice's teasing orders from earlier. She did her best to form a convincing smile and tossing the phone onto a nearby chair, she faced Alice and leaned forward for a kiss as she said, "Where were we?"

Accepting the kiss, Alice gently broke it after a few moments and murmured into Dana, "Where we were doesn't matter. Where we are now does." Cupping Dana's face, she dropped her head to meet downcast blue eyes. "What did she say to you?"

"It's never what she says," confessed Dana brokenly, feeling wretchedly embarrassed at the hot tears that were already starting to fall. "It's how she says it, Al. She... she just doesn't sound like a mother should sound..." Sobbing into Alice's neck, burying herself in the blonde's arms that were wrapped around her in seconds. "Sometimes I don't even think she loves me anymore..." Dana extricated herself from Alice's arms, meeting worried brown eyes and breathing shakily as pale hands wiped her tears away. "She says she does but I don't think she means it. I think she says it because she thinks she has to... because it's expected..." Turning from Alice, she sounded inconsolable as she muttered, "Fairbanks do what's expected."

At this, Alice released an odd sort of anguished noise that was at the same time filled with an overwhelming rage and Dana again found herself wrapped up in her arms. Sinking into Alice's skin, she sighed gratefully at the embrace and for a long while they chose to stay that way. Then Alice murmured into Dana's ear, voice low and firm, "She loves you, Dana. Your mother loves you. She's just horrifically inept at showing it." Again there was a long silence then Alice murmured in warm and inviting tones, "I have an idea." Pulling back to look into sad blue eyes, she beamed. "Would you like to hear my idea?" 

"Sure," said Dana lethargically.

"First thing we do," Alice drew the words out, smiling wider and rocking Dana to and fro in her arms. "Is dress ourselves up nice and fancy so I can take you out on a date. Because we," she murmured as she captured Dana's lips for a slow kiss, "haven't gone on an official date as a couple yet, have we? That's a huge problem if you ask me. One that needs to be fixed pronto. Well?" drawled Alice, lifting an eyebrow in speculation. "What do you say, Dane?"

The sound of a girly squeal of delight and the thump of Alice being pushed back onto the bed was the response. It was hard to imagine that it could ever possibly be in the negative.

\---

Precisely one hour later, Dana in a sexy black evening gown that featured an enticing slit on the right side to give a wonderful view of her tanned legs, an outfit Alice had declared enthusiastically to be 'so Miss Dana', and Alice in a pair of simple black tailored pants and low cut white wide collared shirt with the sleeves partially rolled up, strolled into the High Low Music Club. 

The music playing sounded vaguely familiar to Dana, she couldn't quite place it but she knew she had heard it before and frowning, she tried to figure it out as she studied her surroundings. Alice said she would like it here so Dana was positive she would but that didn't change she hadn't ever been in a place like this. Music was wafting out of several well hidden speakers, floating over the patrons who sat at an odd mismatch of tables that were all placed around a large dance floor that already shifted from being full to empty to half and half in just a span of a minute. There was an endless stream of activity and sound, something normally Dana would find irritating but somehow here it wasn't. It just seemed natural. As if it was a part and a parcel of the building.

"Dane," Alice's murmur greeted her ears and she turned to the blonde and saw that the hostess had arrived to lead them to their table. 

Smiling and squeezing Alice's hand, Dana let herself be expertly wound through the tables until they stopped at one on the far side of the dance floor, in perfect view of the bar. They took their seats, thanking the hostess and accepting the menus.

Placing her menu immediately down, Alice leaned forward to put her elbows on the table and asked with a little grin, "How do you like it?"

"It's nice," said Dana, tilting her head back. She couldn't figure out what the song was and it was bothering her because she really did know the voice. Part of her thought it had to be someone from Motown Records. Frowning slightly, Dana decided to just give in and looking to Alice, she asked, "What song is this?"

"I Say A Little Prayer For You," replied Alice, smiling. "The Aretha Franklin version." Waving her hands about, she laughed. "They've got a million different ones, you know. Including the one by the gay British man in that Julia Roberts movie."

"Rupert Everett," said Dana, returning the smile, now at ease. Looking around the club before focusing back on Alice, she said sincerely, "I like it, Al. This is a nice place... it's so relaxed, you know? It seems like a really comfortable place to be."

"It is known for the mellow," chuckled Alice, looking at the menu and trying to decide what to eat. "All types of people come here. Black, white, gay, straight, or just whatever, to eat the good food and dance to some old school R&B. I think it's fun, myself."

"I like this music," remarked Dana, deciding to study her own menu to find something that fit into her training regimen. "I guess I always have. Somehow it never gets old. It sounds new to me no matter how much time has passed when it first came out."

"R&B is forevermore classic," Alice uttered solemnly, nodding her head and grinning when she heard Dana giggle at her words. "Are you making fun of me?" she asked, not looking up from the menu as she couldn't figure out if she wanted the shrimp or the steak. "I heard that giggle, Fairbanks. That was the giggle of making funnery."

"That's not even a word, Al," declared Dana, playfully whapping Alice on the head with her menu.

Rubbing her head, Alice scowled affectionately at Dana then muttered, "I take you out to someplace nice and I get hit with menus. Where's the romantic justice in the world?"

Dana started to respond but their waitress appeared to take their orders and suggest before departing that they spend the time waiting for food on the dance floor. It was a suggestion that had Dana bouncing happily in her seat at hearing it and soon had Alice on her feet holding her hand out to the other woman. Following after the journalist, Dana tilted her head back and frowned as she yet again knew a song but couldn't place it. The ooh wahs sounded awfully familiar though.

This time she gave into weakness a lot quicker and pressing closer to Alice as they reached the dance floor, Dana asked, "What's playing?"

Spinning around and smiling widely, Alice pulled Dana to her and pressed their bodies close to begin their dance. The ooh wahs in the song had ceased, letting the lyrics begin that Alice happily sang with, "Why do fools fall in love?" Rolling her eyes, she continued, "Why do birds sing so gay?"

Laughing on knowing exactly why Alice had found that lyric a tad on the silly side, Dana lifted her hand and managed to help the blonde perform a slight spin. Still laughing, she pulled Alice back into her, enjoying the press of their bodies as they danced.

"And lovers await the break of the day," Alice continued to sing, sensing that Dana seemed to enjoy it. She swayed along with the brunette, smiling as they locked eyes. "Why do they fall in love? Why does the rain fall from up above?"

At this lyric a mischievous but wanting glint appeared in her brown gaze and Dana reddened, realizing the blonde was clearly thinking of their recent activities in the shower. Looking around the dance floor and seeing a few other gay couples, Dana decided on seeing them it didn't matter they were there anyway. She was having fun and she was happy... god, she was so happy right now. Happier than she had ever been.

And feeling altogether playful and just a bit naughty, Dana reached down to squeeze Alice's bottom and lift her up to meet their lips in a kiss. When they parted moments later, Dana laughed when Alice exclaimed her name in surprised delight then her arms went around the blonde to continue with their dance.

"Love is a losing game. Love can be a shame," sang Alice, wrapping her arms around the tennis player's neck and moving with the music. Grinning widely, she pressed closer and rose up to sing to Dana with their lips just a breath apart. "I know, I'm a fool you see. For that fool is me."

Knowing the kiss was coming, Alice darted backwards impishly, holding onto Dana's hand and moving them into a series of spins as well as some other complex dance maneuvers. Ones that left them slightly off kilter and had them collapsing into each other, laughing and clinging tightly. When they finally sorted themselves out, Dana once again leading with Alice pressed close, the song was almost over. 

"Why does my heart skip a crazy beat?" Alice sang, practically laughing with the lyrics she felt so giddy in the moment. She didn't know the last time she had felt this way. Just so utterly happy without a clear reason for it. Just being with Dana like this, dancing with her and singing to her. This was just a perfect form of happiness to Alice. "For I know, it will reach defeat. Tell me why," she sighed at the feeling of Dana's fingers tangling in her hair, pulling her close. Breath warm against the tanned neck, Alice sang on, "Why do fools fall in love?"

Their food was finished cooking in thirty minutes but they didn't stop dancing until two hours later. Needless to say, it had to be reheated to make it edible but somehow Dana and Alice hardly minded.

\---

 

Super Queen was the size that Alice had decided her bed to be because on the mattress size charts it only went up to Super King and her bed just happened to be larger than a Super King so what else could it possibly be? A Super Queen, that's what.

The mattress was a recent purchase resulting from Tina's stay in her guest room which used to have a bed in it that wasn't at all suited for a pregnant woman, in Alice's opinion. So she did what any good friend who had been secretly wanting to upgrade her own mattress would. She gave Tina her bed and went out and bought a brand new one for herself.

A spacious ultra comfortable incredibly fluffy Super Queen bed that seemed custom made for the mind blowing sex she and Dana enjoyed having. Currently they were lying in the bed, snuggled underneath light peach sheets, Dana spooning Alice from behind as she left a trail of kisses onto the pale neck on display in front of her.

Dana could feel Alice's smile when the blonde paused in her absent chewing of the tennis player's nails as the kisses began. She didn't quite understand why Alice felt the need to chew on her nails but at the same time, she hardly minded it so what was the harm in allowing it? Besides that, Dana found the habit secretly cute. 

There was a shift in weight as Alice turned in Dana's arms and they were lying face to face on their sides. She smiled and cupped the athlete's face in her hands then drew forward for a kiss. A slow teasing kiss that hinted with a bit of tongue only to pull away, Alice grinning into Dana, sucking and pulling on her bottom lip then moving upwards again at the low groan the brunette released. They kissed languidly and lazy, lost in the sensation of soft lips tugging at one another, sighing at feeling it caused.

And that was when the alarm sounded. Not a fire alarm or anything to cause panic, but the alarm on the nightstand on the right side of the bed. The one covered by the hard bound edition of Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes that Alice had recently bought with great excitement from a local used book store. 

A book that Alice had read to Dana, who enjoyed the experience if only because it held fond memories for the blonde. During the purchase, Alice quietly informed her the book was her favorite out of all the ones that her father read to her as a child. Somehow over the years her original copy got lost and she didn't want to replace it but this one... it looked same as her father's. Then she smiled brightly and remarked that now she could read the book to Bette and Tina's baby, thus driving Bette insane in the process. It was a prediction Dana had to agree with after Alice read her the book. Somehow she didn't see Bette finding the humor in lines like: gambling isn't a sin, providing that you always win.

Pulling back to carefully move the book, closing it and setting it away from the alarm, Alice stopped the annoying beeps and groaned on seeing the time. "Shit," she muttered and ignoring the gentle caress of Dana's fingertips tracing a path down her spine, Alice climbed out of bed. "I'm sorry, Dane, but I need to get going. I forgot that I promised Nelson and Jolene I'd have a late dinner with them tonight to talk about some things."

The pout that Dana formed to accompany a teasing complaint disappeared in place of a frown as she realized something. Namely the fact that she didn't know Alice was even having dinner with her brother and sister. Though she wished it didn't, that bothered Dana a little. Shouldn't she know things like that? Which is why she decided to voice this out loud.

"I didn't know you were having dinner with them," Dana murmured, watching Alice with an attentive gaze as to not miss one facial expression the blonde formed. She found often with Alice it wasn't what she said but how she said it and the expression she wore while doing so. 

"There's no reason you had to," replied Alice, shrugging. She turned to Dana and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you though. I probably just forgot. It isn't like it's a big deal at all," she continued, going through her clothing again and pulling on a pair of black Prada pants. "Nelson and Jolene probably want to bitch about my mother again. God," Alice heaved an irritated sigh and yanked off the hanger a long sleeved collared blue shirt from the same designer. Buttoning it up, she muttered, "I know this is going to suck. All they do is bitch, you know? And I'm sorry, but bitching gets really old really fast."

Crawling forward on the bed, causing the sheet to slip off her tanned body as she did so, Dana offered eagerly, "I can come with you if you want." When Alice looked to her, a bright smile was lighting her features. "I could help make it less sucky."

Stopping her dressing activities, leaving her shirt only halfway buttoned up her chest, Alice smiled affectionately at Dana then crossed to the bed, standing at the end of it. She reached out to hold Dana's face gently and leaned down to meet their lips for a kiss that was sweet, loving, and simple. When she moved back, Alice tenderly swept some loose brown locks from Dana's eyes while she spoke.

"I know you'd make it less sucky," said Alice, chuckling softly and her brown eyes crinkled around the edges from happiness. "But that's no reason to make you suffer through my family. Besides, didn't you say you wanted to go into the club for a late workout?" 

"I can do that anytime," said Dana, frowning slightly. Her eyes narrowed a bit for thoughtful inspection and she murmured, "Is there something wrong, Al? With your mother, I mean. Is that why you don't want me to go? Because if there is something wrong, I'd want to help," Dana quickly went on, rising up to kneel on the bed, moving closer and caressing the line of the blonde's neck. "I'd want to help you."

"I know you would," Alice replied and she dropped another kiss on Dana's lips then moved away to resume dressing. Looking through her pile of shoes before deciding on a pair of black high heels and slipping them on while Dana watched, the frown deepening on the athlete's face. "There's nothing to help with though. It's nothing but the typically unnecessary drama that's an unfortunate part of having anything to do with my family. And since technically you don't have to deal with them, I rather not make you." Looking up as she slipped her left shoe on, Alice smiled awkwardly. "You understand what I'm saying, don't you Dane? It's not that I don't want you there it's just... I don't want to make you come along for my sake. I'll be okay on my own."

Dana didn't reply and remained silent, even when Alice returned to deposit a loving kiss on her lips, stroking her cheek as she said I love you. She didn't say a single word. Instead she sat on the bed and watched the journalist leave the apartment, lost in how impossibly sad it made her feel when she heard Alice say that to her.

Say that she would be okay on her own.

\---

To no surprise, Alice found herself as the first person at the restaurant despite the fact that she arrived five minutes later than their scheduled meeting time. Sitting down after telling the hostess there were two other people from her party coming, she studied the menu and tried not to think on what this was all about. It was true what she told Dana, there wasn't much to think about when it came to her family and meetings. It always had to do with Lenore because Lenore made herself the nexus of their twisted universe by simply being who she was.

It was always about Lenore in their family. Always. She had known that ever since she was a child, in how her father would look at her mother with adoring eyes that couldn't fathom seeing even the slightest of faults in her. 

Jeff Pieszecki loved Lenore until the day he died. Her mother might not want to think on that because she found it too painful thanks to the awful manner she had treated him but that was the truth of the matter. A truth that Alice would never forget. 

Her mother had left him time and time again for other men that were higher up on that industry food chain. After all, who was her father? Nothing but a hard working Lighting Technician that was also a stout Union man. And it was Lenore and this behavior that helped Alice spot Tonya for what she was in an instant because it was what she grew up with. The calculating gaze of a woman who looked at others, only seeing what they could do for her and nothing else.

God, it burned her even now to think of it.

Why wasn't her father good enough? Because he didn't have a nine digit salary? Because he preferred worn jeans to fancy suits? Because he rolled his own cigarettes from cheap tobacco and didn't buy imported cigars? Why the hell did all of that matter? Her father had been a good man and he had loved her mother, loved her more than Alice had ever seen a person love. And all that love got him was two divorces, a custody battle, and then a heart attack.

The custody battle... 

Before the second divorce happened, Alice had grown up thinking her parents had a fairy tale marriage. They told her the story often enough she thought it had to be a fairy tale. The story of how they had been married before but fate had been off its axis and they parted but then they met again and for one special night the magic returned. It returned to give them Alice, their precious baby girl, thirteen and eleven years the junior of her brother and sister. 

She grew up dealing with the envious gazes of her older siblings because of the way her parents attributed Lenore becoming pregnant with Alice with their reconciliation and second marriage. So much so that they doted on Alice, treating her like a princess. Well, at least her father did. Even back then Lenore had been too busy for Alice because she was experiencing a second wave of popularity due to landing the starring role in Empire Falls. A role she happened to get when they had been remarried barely a year, placing Alice at a little over two years old. 

When this was going on, Alice was far too young to know what precisely was happening but looking back it was fairly obvious. Lenore's career had been waning, floating dead in the water when she had that passionate night with Jeff, and when she was with him she felt so much better about herself. Because Jeff treated her like a star, a beautiful woman, despite the fact that no one was returning her calls, including her own agent. Then she became pregnant and again, Jeff catered to her, he loved her, he took care of her, and Lenore thought this was all she needed really. A man to love her like Jeff did and so they got remarried.

Then she got the phone call from the network. Asking her to please attend a meeting with the head of night programming because he had a brilliant idea for a brand new glamorous drama and he wanted to feature Lenore at the center of it. He wanted her to be his star. 

If there was ever anything that Lenore couldn't refuse it was that.

Memories were a funny thing to Alice. They shifted and slipped from her mind like dreams in the night. Some were as clear as crystal, playing in her head like a movie in a cinema, and others were ghostly images that she couldn't quite get ahold of. The breakup of her parents with their second divorce was the latter. She had vague recollections of it... things like the head of night programming coming to their house and his name being funny to her, because Yakobovitch is a funny name to a six year old, and her father growling at him deep and scary to not look at his wife like she was some sort of five course meal. 

The head of night programming laughed and told Lenore he would talk to her later. And when he was gone, her father had looked at her mother to ask sad and weary if she was having an affair with him. Lenore didn't reply. Instead she laughed like the head of night programming did and told Alice's father that he was silly for thinking such things and why did men have to be such jealous creatures? Then she left her father alone and Alice could still see him, his strong shoulders shaking quietly, his large frame trembling as he clenched his hands into fists.

That was the only time she had seen her father cry.

He didn't cry when the second divorce began. He didn't cry when teenaged Nelson and Jolene said they would rather die than come live with him. He didn't even cry when the day the divorce became final Lenore announced in the press she was engaged to the head of night programming. He didn't ever cry again, not that Alice could see at least. He was sad and he was stoic and he was good. Her father had been such a good man.

Honestly, it was because of him that Alice only really wanted one thing in a romantic partner, whether they be male or female. She wanted someone who was like her father, someone good who wanted nothing more to love and care for the ones they loved. A person who was solid and unpretentious. And if that didn't describe her Dana, she wasn't sure what did. 

She couldn't help wondering if her father would've liked Dana. Perhaps it was wishful thinking but Alice thought he would, she could recall even now how he loved sports of pretty much any kind and Dana being a professional athlete would've garnered at least some kind of admiration from him. More likely he would've appreciated Dana's clumsy earnestness. That she was a real person who didn't have any sort of hidden agenda.

Yes, her father would've liked Dana very much.

"Hey Baby P," Nelson's exuberant voice declared and Alice sighed inwardly at the horrible nickname that he would never stop using for her. Looking up at her older brother, she wasn't surprised to see him in a wrinkled Armani suit. He had gotten caught up at work again, no doubt busily trading away other peoples money as if it was his own. Ugh. Stockbrokers were evil. 

"Hey Old Fogy P," replied Alice in droll tones, lifting an eyebrow at her brother as he sank into the chair next to her. "You're late."

"I know," said Nelson irritably, studying the menu with a frown. "You wouldn't believe all of the shifts in the market today. I think soy went up six points. Which seems preposterous to me. Soy isn't something that should ever deviate. It's soy."

"Right," Alice chuckled.

Brown eyes that matched her own peered at her from over the top of the menu and studied her closely. "There's something different about you," stated Nelson, setting the menu down as he had discovered something more interesting than food. A knowing smile formed and he laughed smugly, leaning back to point at her. "You've got a new boy/girlfriend don't you?" He paused and snickered then said, "Borlfriend, right?"

Rolling her eyes in disgust, Alice muttered, "I wish you and Jolene would stop using that fucking word. It's not even a word, Nelson. It's something you two idiots made up."

"You make up words all the time," pointed out Nelson, who had returned to looking at the menu now that he had figured out why Alice looked different. "Why can't Jo and I?"

"Maybe because my words don't sound like freakish accidents like borlfriend does," said Alice, who felt a headache forming. She knew it was going to be like this. It was always like this. That's why she didn't want Dana to come along. "Look, can you stop staring at the damn menu and tell me what this is about? I have things to do tonight and I just want to know what's going on."

Not bothering to look up from the menu despite Alice's words requesting otherwise, Nelson remarked, "Anxious to get back to the borlfriend, huh?"

"Stop using that word!" Alice snapped.

"I thought you said it wasn't a word," commented Nelson, still staring at the menu. "You're contradicting yourself, Baby P. But then again, that isn't anything new, is it?

"What's up Baby P's ass this time?" Jolene announced her presence in same way as Nelson and Alice again sighed inwardly on seeing her sister dressed in work clothes as well.

Didn't her siblings have any concept of fun? Sometimes she wondered if her brother and sister ever did see their respective spouses and children. Part of her thought they served as nothing more than ready made stories used to get Alice to do things they could claim to be too busy with family to do. Jolene's power suit looked nearly as wrinkled as Nelson's and she wondered what it was about working with money that made people look so fucking wrinkly. Oh well. She supposed Jolene had the lesser of the evils because rather than trade other people's money she took it and stuck it in what they perceived to be a safe place when in reality it was being traded around by people like Nelson.

Jesus. Both of their jobs were evil. 

"She's bitching about the use of the word borlfriend," said Nelson carelessly, continuing his study of the menu. "First she said it wasn't a word then she told me to stop using the word."

"Very contradictive," mused Jolene, picking up her own menu. Peering at Alice much like Nelson did, she grinned and said, "Which is it this month, Baby P? A boy or a girl?"

"If you must know, Old Crone P," said Alice derisively, staring her older sister down. "It's a girl and we've been dating for over two months."

"Ohh, two months," Jolene drawled out, acting exaggeratedly impressed. Making Nelson snort loudly and she chuckled at his reaction. "That's practically a lifetime for you though."

"Fuck you, Jo," muttered Alice, staring off to one side. "Look, would one of you just tell me what this is about? What the hell has Mom done this time?"

Simultaneously, Nelson and Jolene lowered their menus and for a brief shining moment Alice thought they were going to stop the usual song and dance routine they put her through. Then she saw the waitress had returned to take their orders. When they were alone again, after several minutes of Nelson and Jolene needling her about only ordering a salad, she looked at them expectantly and prayed she would finally get her answer.

Instead she got Nelson smirking as he asked, "So who's the girl?"

Warily looking at her siblings who wore expectant expressions on their faces, Alice thought about Dana and immediately smiled. Then she said with a good deal of pride, "Dana. I'm dating Dana and it's... it's really good, you guys. The best relationship I've ever had, I think."

"Dana Fairbanks?" asked Nelson, his eyes going wide.

"You're dating that pro tennis player?" asked Jolene, her eyes just as wide as she leaned forward and into the table. "When did this happen?"

"Two months ago," responded Alice in supremely droll tones. "You guys actually seem interested in my life for once. Why is that?" 

Nelson and Jolene slowly turned to look to each other and then back to Alice as they said together, "You're dating someone famous."

"Figures," Alice groaned, rubbing her forehead with her index finger and thumb. Peering at them through lidded eyes, she said, "Would you please finally tell me what this about? What the hell has Mom gotten herself into now?"

"Debt, what else?" Nelson said, shrugging his shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world. Then again, when it came to their mother it was. Lenore seemed to have this particular issue pop up every other month or so. "She's up to her neck in it again and the collectors have a-come harassing."

"They've returned with threats to foreclose on her condo," said Jolene with a sigh. She leaned down and snapped open her briefcase to pull out some paperwork. Setting it down on the table, she continued, "They need the payment by next Saturday at the latest or mother will be out on the streets." She paused to form an expression of utter disdain. "Or living with one of us."

Groaning again, Alice asked, "How much?"

"Let me see," murmured Jolene as she adjusted her wire rim glasses and squinted at the papers. "This time it would total up to the lovely sum of 7,912.53." Looking over at Nelson, she lifted an eyebrow and remarked staidly, "Don't you wonder what the 53 cents is for? What could it possibly be? A single stick of gum?"

"How did she spend that much?" Alice asked in a frustrated hiss, not wanting to cause a scene in a public place but somewhat horrified at the amount of debt her mother had created. 

"She probably went shoe shopping," said Nelson humorously.

"Manolo Blahniks," Jolene nodded wisely. "It's them every time."

The pounding in her head had increased to the point that Alice felt it might actually explode if she stayed with her family any longer. All she wanted to do was to go back to her apartment, calm down, and wait for Dana to return from her workout. Hopefully still sweaty and hot, then try to forget all her troubles in the warmth of the athlete's embrace. But in order to do that she first had to discern just how they were going to split up the bill payment this time.

"How much am I in for?" asked Alice in weary acceptance.

Nelson and Jolene met their eyes then Nelson said, "We've split things so it's 30% each for Jo and I and then 40% for you, Baby P. Our payment is less because we have family obligations to fulfill. I promised Maggie we would take the kids on this trip to Puerto Rico..."

"And Harold is insisting that Michael has to go to this state of the art soccer camp to keep his game solid. Whatever that should mean," Jolene continued on. "You don't have things like that to worry about. It's just you. Well," she paused to smile knowingly. "You and that rich tennis player. Maybe she could help you out with the payment this time?"

Disgusted beyond words at the idea of taking Dana's money in the manner her sister had just suggested, Alice shook her head and rising to her feet, she said, "Fine. Whatever. Just give me the actual paperwork that says the amount I'm responsible for. I've got things to do."

"You're not going to stay for food?" asked Nelson, frowning. A smirk tugged at his lips and he remarked, "But you ordered such a filling meal. Yum, garden salad!"

"I've got things to do," echoed Alice mechanically. She took the paperwork when Jolene held it out for her. "I'll talk to you guys later. If you happen to speak to Mom before me, tell her to stop buying shoes or whatever the hell is responsible for the newest debt."

"I'm going to eat your salad, Baby P!" Jolene's voice carried after her, making her declaration the last thing Alice heard on exiting the restaurant.

Walking to her mini, Alice surrendered to temptation and looked at the paperwork to see what paying off 40% of Lenore's latest bill would come out to. Sighing heavily, Alice felt her headache reach mammoth proportions on seeing the amount.

"3,437.51," Alice muttered. "Fuck." Shaking her head as she unlocked her car and sat inside, she sighed again. "I guess I'll be getting another credit card." Pulling out of the parking lot, she laughed and said grimly, "Maybe I'll go with Discover this time. It's been six months since I've used them to pay off Mom's bills and you know, it's always nice to discover."

\---

Shutting the door to her Outback and heaving a sigh, Dana slung her gym bag over her shoulder. It wasn't any good. She had gone to the club but after forty minutes she still had her mind stuck on the expression Alice wore before she left. The resigned look of someone who knew they were about to go through an awful experience and couldn't do anything to stop it.

It was a face that Dana knew all too well. She had worn it often enough during the dates her mother had set her up on. Or when someone would ask about her personal life and she would have to lie over and over again. Nothing was worse than knowing you would soon feel horrible about yourself and surrendering yourself to it, as if it was your fate. Something you could never fight against. Dana knew that absolutely.

Which was why she gave up on her workout and decided to go back to Alice's apartment and wait for her return. In hopes of being able to comfort Alice and maybe find out just what was going on with her family. Jogging up the stairs, Dana spun her keys absently around her index finger and couldn't stop herself from grinning at the gleam reflecting on the newest keys on the ring, the ones belonging to Alice's apartment.

Grinning still and whistling an absent tune, Dana pushed the door to the stairwell open as she had reached Alice's floor and almost ran directly into the journalist's neighbor. Luckily, Patty heard the familiar sound that was Dana's thumping footsteps and taken necessary precaution, flattening against the wall to stop a collision from occurring again. She had already gone through that twice and she had no desire to make three times a charm.

Like the times before, Dana wore a huge grin when the door flew open and like the times before, that grin was what kept Patty from feeling any sort of irritation at the athlete. There was something unbearably cute in the way the brunette seemed overjoyed to simply be going to her girlfriend's apartment. She hated to admit it but the cuteness of Dana almost made her want to attempt dating again. Almost.

"Hey Dana," said Patty in her perpetually mellow voice, a grin quirking on her lips when the tennis player whirled around to look at her with surprise. "How goes it?"

"Hey Patty," replied Dana automatically. Her brow furrowed and she said with a tinge of embarrassment, "I nearly hit you with the door, didn't I?" Turning red now, she groaned and continued, "I'm sorry. I need to go slower when I go up the stairs but I'm used to running fast, right? Because training and running, it's meant not to be slow. That's the point of it."

"It's cool," Patty laughed, walking to her apartment to unlock the door, smiling as she watched Dana mimic this action with Alice's. "When did she give you keys?"

"Two days ago," confessed Dana shyly, glowing as she looked at Patty. "She did that box trick. The one where you wrap up one box then put a smaller one inside it and so and so on." Rolling her eyes, Dana remarked, "I had to open twenty boxes and it took me almost half an hour before I finally got to the keys. Al thought it was hilarious, of course."

"That's sweet," murmured Patty, who was rather shocked to discover she honestly did feel that way. She thought it was sweet and damningly cute at that. Shaking her head, she decided she needed to hide herself in her apartment before the cute lesbian couple made her want to return to the hell that for her was the world of dating. "I'll see you later, Dana."

"Yeah," Dana grinned, opening Alice's door and heading inside. "Later, Patty."

Having her own pair of keys to the apartment was just one thing among countless other actions that made Dana want to help Alice with whatever was bothering her. It seemed to her that the blonde was responsible for so many things that served the sole purpose of making Dana feel good about herself. Why shouldn't she try to return that favor herself?

Alice always tried to help Dana, to comfort and soothe, and Dana desperately wanted to do the same for Alice. To give her the same sense of self assurance and feel her worries eased because she knew that Dana was there for her. That Dana would help her, that Dana loved her.

Even at her worst, she had been trying to help Dana. Such as when Dana had come out to her parents and she'd replied to her mother's attack with the lame line of, "I have a boyfriend."

Lame and a horrible line as it was, yes, her intentions had been good. Her intentions had been to help Dana. And despite saying probably the worst thing she could've chosen at that moment, Alice had been there afterwards. To hold her and pick up the pieces, to dry her crying tears and make her laugh with prank phone calls.

Having loved Alice for as long as Dana had, she knew quite a few things about her that other people didn't. The most glaring being the fact that the journalist kept her problems, the really big ones, to herself. The tiny useless piddling ones were what she would teasingly complain about to her friends. Things like not being able to find the perfect nail polish to match her new shoes or wanting ideas for whatever horrifically stupid story Marc had assigned her.

The big problems... like the one Dana was sure she was dealing with today were never broached. Alice did with her problems what Dana did with her emotions. She closed them off and ignored that they were there. As if by doing so they might magically go away and make her life easier. Except they never did go away and the frustration over them would build, making them a type of internal powder keg, ready to blow at any moment.

But thanks to Alice and their relationship, Dana had changed. She was slowly but surely letting Alice in to see everything that she felt because she knew it was safe to do so. It was safe to let Alice see that side herself she had always kept hidden because Alice would never use it to hurt her. Alice only wanted to help her and Dana hoped that maybe now she could do the same for the blonde and her own problems with her family.

All Dana wanted was a chance to love and take care of Alice. 

The sound of keys turning in the lock had Dana's head darting up and she rose from where she was sitting on the couch as the front door opened. Alice shut the door quietly, looking at the ground with an expression of somber contemplation. When she lifted her gaze and saw Dana instead of the bright smile she usually wore on seeing the athlete, she frowned slightly.

"What are you doing here?" Alice began only to shake her head and cut herself off as she muttered, "Never mind. I remember now, I gave you keys." Releasing a weary sigh, she dropped her purse on a nearby file cabinet and wandered into her bedroom, rubbing her forehead. "I'm not feeling that good, Dane. I think I might take a nap if that's okay."

"How did dinner go?" asked Dana, voice laced with concern, following Alice into the bedroom. "Was it about your mother like you thought?"

"It was about Lenore," replied Alice, laughing bitterly and sounding utterly exhausted as she unbuttoned her shirt. "It's always about Lenore in my family. All of the problem littered roads in our little world lead right in her direction."

"What is it this time then?" Dana questioned softly, studying Alice's expression and body language carefully. Not wanting to make even the smallest of mistakes in helping. 

Alice hung up her shirt and slowly turned to face Dana who for a long breathless moment thought that maybe it wouldn't be as hard as she thought it would. That maybe Alice would look at her and she would know, she would just know, it was safe to trust Dana with this. That it was safe to let Dana know what was wrong in her life so Dana could help her solve it. So Dana could comfort her. But then a fond smile tugged at the blonde's lips and she walked over to Dana and deposited a kiss on her lips, effectively letting her know it wasn't going to be that easy.

"You're sweet," Alice murmured, pulling back and warmly cupping Dana's cheek. "But it's nothing important. It never is with my mother."

Frowning now, Dana took Alice's hands in her own, holding them gently and pulling the blonde down until she was sitting next to her on the bed. Once Alice was, she imitated the gesture that had been used effectively so many times on herself and held the journalist's face tenderly in her hands. Smiling at the soft sigh of enjoyment Alice released, Dana leaned forward so their foreheads rested together.

Looking at Alice with earnest blue eyes, Dana said quiet and kind, "I don't believe that, Al. I think there's something really wrong and I want you to tell me what it is so I can help."

Silence and Dana felt more than saw Alice withdrawing from her. She felt it in the stiffening of Alice's body as she refused to look at the tennis player as she spoke. "Jeez Dane," she laughed wryly. "When did you become a psychic friend, huh? How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know you, because I love you," said Dana simply and she wrapped Alice up in her arms. Smiling when Alice sank into her, their bodies merging together as the blonde snuggled into the crook of Dana's neck. "I just want to help you, Al. That's all."

"I know you do," Alice whispered to Dana, seeming to hide herself into the embrace. "I know that and I love you so much for that. I really do, Dana. But..." She trailed off and sighed heavily. "There isn't anything for me to tell you about Lenore, all right? Nothing that you can help with anyway. I'm okay. I can deal with it on my own."

Wincing at these last words, Dana tried not to take them personally, knowing that they were brought about by Alice's fears and insecurities. Something that Dana was currently trying to ease. Which is why she swallowed the hurt, pushed it away, and said gently, "But I don't want you to deal with it on your own, Al. You shouldn't have to do that anymore because now I'm here with you and I want to help. I just need you to let me."

Silence again.

Then Alice hastily disentangled herself from Dana's embrace, walking into the bathroom and saying almost irritably, "I know that." She looked into the mirror, removing her earrings and meeting Dana's eyes in the reflection. "I don't have perfect 20/20 vision but I'm not blind. I can see that you're there. And I appreciate that you want to help." Alice sighed and her body sank as she did so. Making her look weighted down from the worries she carried. Alice was rubbing her forehead with her index finger and thumb when she murmured, "But there's honestly nothing that you can help with. I promise you, Dana."

"I don't believe you," said Dana in a forceful whisper. Locking Alice's gaze with her own in the mirror, holding her still in the power of her sincerity, in the honest desire she felt in wanting to help Alice because she loved her. "You can keep saying that all you want, Al, but I won't believe you. I won't because I know you and I know something's wrong. All I want is for you to tell me... or I mean... you don't have to tell me even!" Dana declared, a little desperate, worried that Alice might not trust her. Rubbing the back of her head, she murmured, "Just let me help. Tell me how I can help you. That's the only thing I want."

Staring into Dana's eyes through the mirror, losing herself in the love and the hope and the plea, the silent powerful plea they held that was asking Alice to please trust her. To give Dana the chance to help, to prove herself and her love. Releasing a wavering sigh, her shoulders trembling, Alice dropped the earring in her hand. The sound of it clinking onto the sink was the only noise in the dead still of the room. She wetted her lips and dropping her gaze, it seemed as if she might be ready to speak.

Then Dana did it for her.

"Is this a money problem? Like that time when you had to pay for tab at The Plaza?" asked Dana, speaking of the vague memory she had of Alice casually mentioning having to pay for her mother's hotel tab once. Cautiously, she moved to touch the curve of Alice's back. "Because if this is a money issue, I can take care of it for you, Al. You don't make very much from the magazine and freelancing. Plus I just got that deal from Fila--"

"Jesus, Dana!" Alice exclaimed, looking horrified at the suggestion, whirling around to face the athlete. "No... I don't... just... god, no," she muttered, shaking her head, unable to find the words to explain her feelings as she walked out of the bathroom. Turning to look at Dana when she followed after, Alice had one hand on her hip and the other gesturing towards the brunette. "I'm not going to take your money, Dana. I won't use you that way. This is my mother and my stupid problem, okay? I get that you want to help but it's all right. I can take care of this."

"But--" Dana began, taking a step towards Alice.

"No, Dana," said Alice firmly, holding up her hand in a stopping motion. "I don't want to talk about it. The idea is fucking creepy, all right? And it reminds me of Tonya and I'm not going to be that person with you ever, okay? I'm not going to be someone who uses your money or your fame or whatever to get my own piddling ass issues fixed. I won't use you like that." Agitatedly running her fingers through her messy blonde hair, Alice said, "I won't do it so just stop asking. Just drop this already." Walking over to her closet, she grabbed the doorframe and removed one of her high heels. "I'll be okay fixing this problem on my own. I've been doing it my entire life and there's no reason I can't do it now. I really don't need your help."

Standing motionless, frozen in time, Dana watched Alice remove her other shoe and swore she could feel her heart break. She had expected it to be like this. That Alice would fight her and make her argue and prove herself, prove her love, but Dana had been sure that Alice would see. Eventually the sheer reality of how much Dana loved her and truly wanted to help her would come through and Alice would let her help. It didn't matter to Dana if it was something meager, such as nothing more than a few ill described words telling her what was bothering her. All that mattered to Dana was that she finally be allowed to help Alice as Alice had helped her so many times before.

Loving Alice had helped Dana break down and destroy her own walls. The ones surrounding her heart and her fear of truly loving someone, of allowing herself to get close enough, to care enough to be hurt by that person. They were broken down because Dana surrendered herself to Alice, she gave all her love and trust to her and she let the blonde smash the walls.

And now Alice was refusing to let Dana do the same for her.

Didn't Alice love her enough? Trust her enough? Maybe it wasn't that. Maybe Dana wasn't good enough to help. Who was she anyway? An dumb athlete who admittedly didn't have much expertise when it came to family and feelings. She stumbled at things like that, often making things worse than better with her actions. But despite that, Dana wanted to help. She wanted so very badly to prove to Alice she could help, that she deserved that love and that trust but...

Alice wouldn't let her.

Knowing that crushed Dana far more than anything ever had before, perhaps more than her parents initial rejection to her sexuality, and she couldn't take it. Couldn't take that Alice wouldn't let her even try to help, that she couldn't give Dana that small amount of love and trust, and so she did the only thing she knew to do in a situation like this.

She left.

Dana turned and left Alice alone in her apartment. Alone to memorize and play the moment over and over in an awful loop the expression the tennis player formed on tanned features. That horrible look of self loathing and doubt Alice had seen Dana wear anytime someone made her feel unworthy. It was a face that Alice hated and made her hate whoever who caused it and this time was no exception. She hated herself for making Dana look that way... she hated herself for not only causing it but not knowing why she had. Why she hadn't given Dana that meager concession she asked for, that she rightly deserved as the woman Alice loved? Terrible as it was, she honestly didn't have any idea why she had reacted this way. The only thing she did know was now she was one of those horrible people who had made Dana doubt herself and god... how could she have done that? And how in the hell could she possibly fix it?

That question had no answer for Alice. None at all. And squeezing her eyes painfully shut, she said grim and quiet, "Fuck."

\---

Dating was fun for Lara. She always enjoyed the process of meeting new people and getting to know them. The carefully arranged dance of figuring out if they made a better friend or lover was something she found strangely intriguing. That being so, it was hardly any surprise she was excited about her date for tonight.

But this time it was more than the usual excitement, this time Lara was excited because she was ready. After months and months, she was ready to give someone an honest chance for something more. Because to be honest, Lara hadn't been doing that for most of her dates.

Not since Dana broke up with her. 

Ever since that day in the restaurant some small part of Lara held onto this hope that Dana would appear again, with flowers in hand and sincere apology on her lips. Only Dana never appeared and Lara knew after awhile she wouldn't ever appear. That didn't stop her from hoping though. Hoping and not really giving any of her poor dates a chance because of it.

Her friends bothered her incessantly about it. Asking why she was so hung up on a closeted tennis player that only bothered to come out after she had broken up with Lara. She would just push the questions off, refusing to answer or giving them some glib reply that couldn't be believed.

What made her hope for so very long was the fact that when Dana ended it between them Lara had been falling. She wasn't in love with Dana yet but she had definitely been falling in love and falling hard at that. In fact, she even planned on telling the tennis player that. But then... well.

That was history.

Dana was in love with Alice and Lara could see that as plain as she could see the nose on Dana's face. Then again, she had always seen it... lurking beneath the surface in how the two women would interact with each other. She found it perversely cute, even while dating Dana and falling for her. The way the athlete treated Alice back then reminded Lara of a middle school boy who relentlessly teases the girl he likes to show his affection.

For a brief shining moment Lara thought maybe she could fill in for Alice. That she could take the role she knew Dana wanted the blonde to have in her life but was for some reason scared to ask of her. But that time had passed and Lara was glad for that because now she could finally move on. She could move on and give her date tonight a real chance for something.

A real chance for happiness perhaps.

Which made Lara giddy and excited, beaming widely and whipping her head upwards on hearing a knock at her front door. They had agreed to meet at the club but maybe her date had changed her mind. She was certainly the type to do that.

Practically skipping to the door, Lara pulled it open and smiled widely as she greeted, "Hey! I'm so glad you..." The words died on her lips as she saw that the person standing in front of her definitely was not her date for tonight. It was Dana. Upset, crying, body quivering from emotion, Dana. "Hey," Lara repeated the word, this time soft and unbearably gentle. Wrapping Dana up in a hug, she pulled the woman into her apartment. "What's going on, Dana? What is it?"

"Alice," sobbed Dana in reply.

Frowning deeply at this, Lara led Dana to her couch and sat her down, holding her still. Letting the tennis player bury her face in her shoulder, her tears soaking through her silk shirt. Rubbing Dana's back in a circular motion, Lara knew that was just the start of the real answer and it would take quite awhile to get the entire thing. Maybe enough to make her late or even miss her date completely but as she held a crying Dana in her arms that hardly mattered to her. In fact, nothing else seemed to matter at all.

\---

Peeling back the label to her half empty bottle of Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Brand Tennessee Whiskey, Alice wondered why it was that she fucked up her relationships. Why when they always started to get really good, she would do something stupid and ruin it. But even after finishing half of the bottle of Jack Daniel's and starting to finish off the rest, Alice still didn't have an answer. She just knew that she did it, that she always did it.

Alice had more questions than answers at this point. Questions like did she wreck the best relationship she had ever been in only two months into it? And if so, was she going to lose her best friend because of it? And why... why didn't she ever think about this when she was trying to convince Dana to be with her romantically?

Why didn't she listen to Dana's fears?

Because right now, Alice knew without a doubt Dana had the right to be scared. Hell, she was smart to be scared! This had never occurred to Alice, this scenario of fighting, of being so close through their romance that they could hurt each other so much more deeply. Deep enough that one day they might not be able to even face one another from the pain caused. 

She had only seen the good, the happiness, brought about by being with Dana and didn't give the pain that might result from it the slightest bit of thought. But Dana had and she knew what that pain would be like and despite that she gave Alice a chance. She let Alice in, she loved her, and she trusted her.

And how did Alice repay her? By not giving her the slightest bit of that back in return. Pushing her away and being... god, she had been so fucking mean to Dana. Mean enough that Alice felt like punching herself for it and she probably would have if she knew the punch would hit her. At this point, she was drunk enough that it would probably hit another person and the last thing she wanted was to get into a fight with one of the old school lesbians at The Palms.

"I'm a shit," Alice declared, groggily pouring more Jack into her glass and thumping the bottle back down on the bar. Taking a slow drink, she muttered, "A big stinky piece of shit."

The worst part of this was the fact that Alice wasn't even sure why she had reacted this way. Well, okay. Maybe she knew a little. It had something to do with pride, she was sure. All of her life she had taken care of herself. Since she was eight years old, in fact. She had dressed herself, fed herself, and solved all of her own problems. Though it pained her that she couldn't rely on her family's help part of Alice was strangely proud of it.

Of the fact that the flaky little dork Alice Pieszecki could take care of herself. That she would be all right on her own. That she had the ability to do that, the ability to survive.

She knew that was why she never went to her friends with her real problems. The ones she could actually use some help with. Partially it was her pride and partially it was the reality that when she had done that early in her life, with her family and a few of her romantic partners...

Disappointment was always the result.

They tried to help but they never did, not really, and often their lack of care just made things worse. After so many failures in trust Alice had just decided to stop even trying. To solve problems on her own and it worked, really it did. Her life was simpler and easier for it and yet, it was exhausting to live that way.

To live entirely on her own. Never relying on other people, hiding away your fear and your insecurities and your weakness but it worked for Alice and it had worked for years now. And she was proud that it worked, that she had come up with this way of living that was independent and strong. Who cared if it was incredibly lonely and isolating in the process?

Not her family, that's for damn sure.

Dana cared and Alice knew it. She knew Dana cared and she knew, she knew absolutely without the slightest bit of doubt that Dana loved her. She knew that but still, when Dana offered her the money... to pay for her problem...

HER problem.

It stung Alice, reminding her of the words of people, mocking and derisive saying that Alice didn't have it in her. That she wasn't strong enough, that she wasn't smart enough, that she was nobody really. No one special. Certainly not anyone that could solve her own problems. That's what she thought of when Dana said she would pay for Lenore's bills.

The reaction was needless and Alice knew that too but she couldn't help that was what she thought of. Just like she couldn't help but fear if maybe this was it. That the romance was over. As friends they had fought but it was never like this. When she fought with Dana before she didn't ever remember feeling this way.

Empty and lost and miserable. So fucking utterly miserable. Enough that she had just finished off her bottle of Jack and gave an absent wave for the bartender to bring her another. 

"One bottle of Jack is a charm, Alice," drawled Tabitha, looking at the blonde with some concern. "I'm gonna give you some time to settle down then I'll call you a cab to get you on home, all right?"

"Right," Alice agreed with a tiny slur, waving her hands absently at Tabitha before resting her head on the bar. 

Staring absently at the patterns in the brown wood of the bar, Alice also couldn't help worrying about something else. What if Dana thought this meant Alice didn't really love her? That because Alice couldn't tell her what was going on, share her problem, that she didn't truly love Dana at all? And what about when she did show Dana?

When she let Dana see all of it, all that fear and insecurity and weakness, what if when she finally let Dana see it, see who she really was, Dana couldn't take it? What if Dana ended up being disgusted by her? What if Dana left and never came back? Because, really, who could love her after seeing all of that? No one she had encountered in her life so far and she wanted to believe Dana was different and maybe in her heart she did believe that but still...

She was so very scared.

Alice was shaken out of her thoughts by a warm hand clasping her shoulder and a sardonic voice as it drawled, "Look at this morose mother fucker here." 

On hearing this, Alice was unable to help grinning just a bit at the familiar trivia game they played where one person would try to best the other by coming up with random quotes from movies, music, and literature. Turning to meet their eyes, she arched an eyebrow and then gave her answer, "Jay from Chasing Amy."

"You always were good at this game," Gabby complimented, dark eyes glowing. Tilting her head in inspection, she studied Alice for a long moment then said, "You look like shit."

"A big stinky piece of shit, I know," Alice laughed the comment off, turning back to the bar. "Thank you for reminding me, Gabby. Now that you've done so you and your minions of bitchy are free to leave my presence."

Tilting her head again, Gabby frowned then turned to her friends and Alice listened with half hearted interest as she got them to leave without her. Well, after several minutes of the minions bitching, as they tended to do, about first Gabby abandoning them to have a sappy ass date and now she was ditching them for her pathetically drunken ex. On hearing the pathetic and drunken reference to her, Alice chuckled softly, proud her misery was so palpable.

Gabby returned, lowering herself onto the barstool next to Alice and stole the nearly empty glass to drink the last of the Jack in it. Watching her for a moment, Alice stared straight ahead, looking at the shiny rows of alcohol in front of them and asked, "What exactly does your lesbian wolf pack consider to be a sappy ass date?"

"Oh, come on, Alice," drawled Gabby humorously, locking their eyes as she smirked. "You know the answer to that. It's a date that includes only myself and the woman I'm seeing, of course."

"Of course," replied Alice dryly. "That means that you and I have gone on precisely three dates despite the fact we've dated..." Alice peered at Gabby in druken speculation as she muttered, "How many times have we dated? It's double digits, right?"

"Thirteen," supplied Gabby, lifting an eyebrow in speculation. "The ever most unlucky number. Maybe fate was trying to tell us something."

"Fate or Nadia Meirtschin's pussy?" asked Alice dryly.

Chuckling softly, Gabby took a drink and remarked, "Aren't we feeling vulgar tonight. You always did get this way when you were in a self loathing mood." Peering at Alice with knowing dark eyes that to Alice often seemed to see what she tried to hide the most. "What happened, hmm? No doubt it has something to do with your prized tennis player who so recently warned me off with her aggressive butch tendencies."

"Why do you care?" Alice accused.

"I don't," said Gabby simply, her tone of voice taking Alice by complete surprise. When their eyes met, she grinned wickedly and continued, "Call it nothing more than idle curiosity as to the mental status of one writer to another. And I can use your sad little neurosis for my screenplay about a woman who's on the edge."

"On the edge of what? A cliff?" muttered Alice who always hated the cliches the dark haired woman would use when it came to her screenwriting projects. 

"Stop stalling," ordered Gabby flippantly.

Staring at Gabby with a hard gaze, Alice said quietly, "You really want to hear this, Gabby? Or are you just having fun fucking with my pathetic drunken head?"

Meeting Alice's gaze head on and holding it, Gabby smiled softly and for just a second Alice could have sworn she saw affection floating in those dark eyes. But then it was gone and Gabby replied, "Both. Now tell your torrid tale already."

"It's not torrid, it's fucking stupid," Alice said, cursing herself. Pulling the bottle of Jack forward, she began absently pulling at the label. "My mother... she's got into shit again and I..." Heaving a sigh, Alice muttered, "I don't know what it was. Dana just wanted to help me and I wouldn't let her, you know? I just... I wouldn't let her... and I have no idea why. I know I hurt her but I don't know what to do to fix it and now I think I may have fucked things up royally." Releasing a bitter laugh, she stared at the empty bottle of alcohol and remarked, "Maybe you were right. I'm meant for fun and not relationships."

Silence.

"That was bullshit, what I said and you know it," Gabby responded soft yet strong and Alice turned to look at the other woman with surprise. Smiling the smallest bit, Gabby rose to feet and reached to Alice, looking as if she was going to touch her cheek but she stopped as if afraid. Then she lost her hesitatation and gently stroked the pale features and said, "You're meant for a lot more, Al. I've always known that. It's just that I was never ready for it."

"Gabby?" asked Alice, blinking at her in an alcohol induced daze.

Her fingertips falling away, Gabby smiled again and said, "Get your pathetic drunken ass out of here, Alice. Even you have to admit you must have more important things to do than this."

"Like what?" Alice called after the departing woman.

"Like having yourself some make up sex, you moron!" returned Gabby in snide tones, walking out the door and lifting her arm up in a backwards wave as she exited.

But she didn't exit. Not really. Instead she walked out the main door but remained in the little walkway that was between the bar and the street. Leaning against the wall and sliding down it to sit on the bench. Staring at her shaking hands and feeling the burn of Alice's skin against hers and reveling in the sensation.

She had done it. She had actually done it. She had taken that first step to showing Alice she was going to change. She had let Alice see her, the real her, for the very first time. She smiled quiet and hopeful, thumping her head against the wall as the music washed over her.

"God only knows, how I've paid for those things in the past. Dying is easy it's living that scares me to death."

\---

Once Dana had stopped crying the situation was fairly easy to ascertain. While it was obvious the fight had been Alice's fault, it was also obvious the writer being deeply troubled was behind it.Something that Dana readily agreed with, saying that was why she wanted Alice to tell her what was wrong in the first place. An action that had caused the coldest treatment from Alice that Dana had ever received.

"She's going through something, Dana," said Lara thoughtfully, sinking into the couch. "I don't know... this might sound horrible but maybe the fight is a good thing. She'd have to be blind to not see how this has hurt you and now she will most likely tell you what's the matter."

"I don't want her to tell me because I got upset," Dana frowned severely, looking at Lara. "I want her to tell me because she loves and trusts me as much as I love and trust her." She gaves a slow wavering breath then said, "But maybe she doesn't."

"Dana, you know that's not true," Lara said fiercely. "You must know how much Alice loves you. There's no way you can't."

"I know," said Dana with a sigh. She paused to bite her bottom lip then she continued in a bare whisper, "Maybe she doesn't love me enough though. You know, enough to tell me what's going on... enough to let me help. I mean," blue eyes peered up to lock with green. "I'm not good with this stuff. I don't have the same kind of experience that Al does. Maybe that's why--"

"Don't even think that," interrupted Lara almost sternly. When Dana lowered her head sadly, she sighed and reached out to clasp her hands. "It doesn't do any good to speculate over what's in Alice's head. There's only one way to find that out. You have to talk to her Dana. You have to find out the reasons why for yourself."

"Yeah," Dana whispered. "I do."

Smiling in encouragement, Lara leaned back and grabbed her cordless phone from a nearby table and handed it to Dana. "Call her," she suggested in a kind murmur. 

Looking from the phone to Lara's green eyes then to the phone again, Dana dipped her head in concession and took it into her hand to dial numbers she had long memorized years ago. When she heard the familiar background of a bar and its patrons, she knew Alice was as upset as her. Alice always went drinking when she was upset... truly upset over something.

"Hello?" Alice's voice was cautious and a bit slurred.

"Al," Dana breathed the name more than said it. "We need to talk."

The sound of the bar and then Alice's voice, trembling as she replied, "Yeah. We need to talk. Can you... can you pick me up? I'm at The Palms."

"I'll be there in ten minutes," Dana assured, unable to help feeling a twinge of happiness that Alice had asked something of her.

"Dana?" said Alice, her voice rough from the liquor.

"Yeah?" replied Dana, shutting her eyes tight and hoping the words she needed to hear most would soon be coming.

"I love you."

Relief fell over her because with these words Dana somehow knew no matter what, they would be all right. They could work things out because she knew those words were the truth. Alice loved her, Dana could hear it absolutely in her voice. And that was what counted the most in all of this. The love they felt for one another.

"I love you too."


	2. Chapter 2

The Palms never changed and Dana supposed that was the point of it. That no matter how much the world changed around them, with politics, opinions, and social trends The Palms remained the same. An old school lesbian bar that had bad lighting, fairly seedy surroundings, and was filled with... well. What else could it be filled with but old school lesbians?

Entering The Palms and returning a few admiring hellos, Dana adjusted her eyes to the aforementioned bad lighting and looked for Alice. She spotted the blonde on the far side of the bar, staring forlornly at an empty bottle of Jack Daniels and absently peeling the label off of it. To put it simply, she looked horrible. Dana could almost see the sadness coming off Alice in waves and she wanted nothing more than to go over there then wrap her up in a tight and loving embrace.

But she couldn't.

That instinct had to wait until she found out what was going on and why Alice had acted the way she had tonight. But the moment she did know... no, the instant. No, that wasn't fast enough. The nanosecond that she did know, Dana would hold Alice close to her and not leave a breath between their bodies as she comforted and reassured. 

"Dana?"

Jumping a little in surprise, Dana turned to look at Tabitha, the longtime bartender for The Palms who was considered a friend to everyone in the LA lesbian community. "Tabitha," she said quietly, focusing her gaze back on Alice who was still peeling at the label and hadn't noticed Dana's entrance. "How is she?"

"Want the truth?" asked Tabitha, lifting an eyebrow carefully.

"Of course," said Dana in response and she looked at the other woman with an insulted expression on her tanned features.

"She's fucking miserable," Tabitha replied, ignoring the insulted look Dana was wearing and leaning over the bar as the tennis player stepped closer. "She's gone through one full bottle of Jack Daniels and if I hadn't cut her off she'd probably be going through her second as we speak. I dunno what this is about, Dana, and you know what? I don't much care. But Alice has been a good friend to me and you're her girlfriend so..." Her words trailed off and she looked away from Dana as she shrugged.

"So...?" echoed Dana as she studied Tabitha quietly.

Turning to lock their eyes, Tabitha finished in soft solemn tones, "So you go over there and take care of her, okay? Because she sure as hell can't do that for herself right now." 

It never ceased to amaze Dana how many friends Alice had acquired over the years. Sometimes it even seemed to her that the journalist was friends with everyone they encountered. She had this uncanny ability to find something in common with pretty much anyone she met and because of that people tended to flock to her. When Dana had first became friends with Alice it made her both jealous and insecure because it left her wondering how could she possibly be special to Alice when she had so many other people in her life?

Then she noticed that while Alice had other people she didn't choose them. She chose Dana time and time again to go to and now she had chosen Dana to be with romantically. She had chosen Dana to fall in love with.

Well, maybe she didn't choose that but all the same, Alice had fallen in love with her, Dana knew that absolutely. She also knew she was special to Alice and that she mattered to her far more than others. And knowing that, Dana dipped her head in silent acknowledgement of Tabitha's request then walked over to the blonde with that thought foremost in her mind.

That Alice had chosen her. That Alice loved her. That Alice was in love with her. 

Coming to a stop directly behind the barstool Alice was sitting on, Dana stared at the elegant curve of the blonde's neck and slowly reached her hand out to press gently against the small of her back. "Al," Dana said the name in a verbal caress.

Alice turned to her and when she looked into brown eyes that were normally filled with lively happiness so sad and desolate, Dana forgot about ignoring her instincts and wrapped Alice up in a fervent embrace. The journalist buried her face in the crook of Dana's neck, sobbing soundlessly as she said the tennis player's name over and over again.

"Oh, Al," murmured Dana, heartbroken and anxious, holding the blonde closer to her yet. Dipping her head down, she put their faces side to side and wrapped her arms around Alice's waist, lifting the blonde from the barstool and into her embrace. "Don't cry... please don't cry. It's going to be okay, I promise."

"Dana," Alice collapsed into Dana, clutching to her with desperate hands, seeming unable to believe the brunette had actually come for her. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry. There's nothing for you to be sorry about," Dana soothed, pulling back and wiping the tears from Alice's cheeks with the pads of her thumbs. Cupping the blonde's face tenderly in her hands, she smiled softly, "Okay?"

"Okay," said Alice, her head dropping in a nod as she released a tremulous sigh.

"Come on," said Dana who looked from Alice to the few patrons The Palms had. All of which immediately placed their attention elsewhere when her gaze shifted. "Lets go home."

Great. This would be all over the gay and lesbian gossip circuit the instant they left the bar. Not that it really mattered to Dana. She was out now and even if she wasn't out the only thing that counted was Alice. So she turned her focus back to the blonde, wrapping an arm firmly around her waist, supporting the weight of her body as they made their way to the door.

The walk to Dana's Outback was silent except for the sounds of traffic and people passing by. Unlocking her car with the usual clicks and beeps that went with the new technology, Dana opened up the front passenger door and turned to Alice. The journalist was looking away from her, at the people on the street with a veiled and forlorn expression. Feeling inexplicably sad on seeing this, Dana murmured the blonde's name.

Jolting visibly, Alice faced Dana and formed a wan smile as the athlete offered her hand. Taking the hand and squeezing it softly, Alice let Dana help her into the car and fasten her seatbelt. Though they were small gestures, the brunette couldn't help the warmth that spread through her because Alice was letting her help. Meager and insignificant as it really might be, she was finally being allowed to help the woman that she loved and Dana couldn't properly explain how good that made her feel.

Once Alice was safely inside the car, Dana climbed into the driver's seat and started the trip back to the blonde's apartment. They remained in silence for several minutes but when they were stopped at a traffic light waiting for it to change from red to green, Alice said in a stark confession, "When my father died I had to learn to take care of myself."

Dana looked to Alice, shocked at the admission, wanting to say something in response but stopping herself just because she was sure if she spoke then Alice would stop. And that was the last thing Dana wanted.

"My mother loves me," Alice continued, keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead, her face obscured by shadows. "I know that. Hell," she released a bitter laugh, "I even know that my brother and sister love me. But the way they love..." She sighed and rested her head against the window. "It can sometimes hurt."

The blare of loud honking met their ears and Dana jumped in her seat, looking at the traffic light that was now green. With a scowl, she adjusted the rear view mirror and looked at the man behind her who was gesturing obscenely. Releasing a quiet snort as she studied him, Dana wondered who in their right mind would wear a toupee and drive a convertible. 

Worried that her lack of attention might have caused Alice to stop talking, Dana glanced quickly to the blonde who, to her surprise, met the gaze and smiled softly. Then she turned to stare ahead as she had before then went on. "I shouldn't make it sound so dramatic," Alice scoffed. "I wasn't abused or anything. It was more like I didn't really exist. I was there but only when they remembered I was, you know? I mean, they would promise stuff and then..."

Trailing off in frustration, Alice leaned her head back against the window and said, "When I was in fourth grade I was in this music recital thing. It was a state wide competition or something. I told Mom about it, Nelson and Jolene too," Alice laughed soft and derisive. "They said they would come, they promised they would come, and of course the night of the recital contest thingy arrives and did they come?" Dana winced at the resigned tone in Alice's voice. It seemed as if the blonde was actually ridiculing herself for being stupid enough to believe in her family. There was silence then Alice chuckled and murmured, "I remember though... a month or so later. Mom was in my room for some reason and she looks at my bookshelf and sees the trophy I got for winning the recital thing. She looked at it and she looked at me, just totally blank, no memory whatsoever, and asked what the trophy was for." Laughing again, Alice lightly thumped her head against the window and said, "Want to know what I said?"

"What did you say?" asked Dana, pained and hurting, god she was hurting so very badly for Alice. But her pain and her hurt didn't matter... helping Alice did. Listening to her, being there for her. That's why she asked the question though part of her, the part that was hurting so badly for Alice, honestly didn't want to hear the answer.

"I said it was for showing up," Alice laughed, sounding rather amused with her childhood antics. "And if you ask my mother about it, to this day, she will say that I got a trophy in the fourth grade for having perfect attendance."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Dana asked, "How did you get to the recital, Al?"

"A friend's Mom took me," said Alice with a shrug. She looked to Dana, smiling softly that the brunette would care about such a trivial detail but at the same time feeling comforted by it. Her father had been the same way. Worried with the little things in life because, he had told her once, the little things were what made up life in the first place. "Mrs. Johanson. My friend Melissa's mother... I remember her because I thought she was cool since she hated Lenore's TV show. She was the only grown up I knew that didn't suck up to my mother."

The sound of traffic and the city then Dana, her jaw set and her eyes misting from unshed tears, said in tones laced thick with sorrow, "I'm sorry you went through that."

"I know," Alice replied, shifting her gaze from the road to Dana as they stopped at another traffic light. Reaching out to rest her hand on top of Dana's, the one closest to her that sat on the steering wheel. When the tennis player looked to her and met their eyes, she clumsily pulled the hand to her lips and kissed it tenderly. "I know you are, Dana. I know why you wanted me to talk to you... I know you want to help. But it's crap like that... it..." Frustrated and lacking the words due to being inebriated still, Alice shook her head and muttered, "It's hard for me, you know? I'm not used to people keeping their promises. I've always taken care of myself because of stuff like that when I was little. I learned I couldn't rely on my family for important things so I just did it myself. And I've been doing it that way for almost twenty years now." Laughing wryly, Alice commented, "It's kind of hard for me to stop."

"Al..." Dana began, her voice throaty and concerned.

"Green light," interrupted Alice with a nod and a small smile. The tennis player immediately jerked her attention back to the road and driving. When she did, Alice studied her for a long moment then looked forward, staring ahead as she said, "My mother's in debt again. That's what the dinner was about. She's never been good with money and this kind of thing happens a lot with her. Nelson, Jolene, and I sort of have this unspoken deal to take care of her, I guess. Whenever the bills pile up we have dinner and split them amongst ourselves." Alice snorted and said, "Not like it's really a fair split though. Nelson and Jo are at 30% each and lucky me, I get 40% to pay off."

"Your mother does this a lot?" asked Dana, shocked though she knew somehow she really shouldn't be. That seemed like very Lenore behavior, after all. "Creating massive debt?"

"Since I was a kid," Alice remarked, shrugging and smirking slightly. "It's a fucking pain, right? But... I don't know... I sorta have to take care of her. I promised." There was silence then Alice repeated quiet and solemn, "I promised."

"Who did you promise?" Dana asked, frowning.

"I didn't promise him, I guess. It's more like I promised myself because of him," continued Alice. She was lost in the memories and with the aid of her alcoholic buzz she didn't hear Dana's question. Instead she rested her head against the window and closed her eyes as she remembered. "My father loved her so much. Even after two divorces and her cheating on him I don't know how many times, he loved her. And I asked him once why he did because even though I was just a kid I could see it, you know? I could see how much he loved her." A faint and wistful smile formed on her features and Alice murmured, "He told me that if you love someone it doesn't matter if they hurt you because them hurting you doesn't ever really stop you from loving them. So in the end, all that matters is the fact that you love them and if you love someone you try and take care of them." She laughed sharply and thumped her head against the head rest, her eyes squeezed shut as she rubbed at them with the back of her hand. "And he did... he did take care of her until he couldn't anymore, because he was dead."

"And now you're trying to take care of her for him," finished Dana, her throat constricting from the emotion. "God, Al."

"I swore that if I was lucky enough to find someone like my father, someone who was good and honest and kind..." Alice trailed off, laughing through her tears and tipping her head back against the chair. "He was so kind, Dana. Really he was. And I... I told myself if I was to be with someone like him I wouldn't be like her. I wouldn't take them for granted, I wouldn't abuse their love and trust in me like she did to him." Thumping her head again, she laughed quietly. "But I guess I really am my mother's daughter because I did it anyway. I acted just like her."

They had been in the parking lot for Alice's apartment building for the past three minutes. Something that neither of them quite registered, they were so caught up in one another. Even Dana, who had been driving, only took slight notice of it and that was simply because she had turned the car ignition off. Like Alice, she stared straight ahead, afraid that if she met their eyes Alice would lose her courage and be unable to say what she obviously needed to.

"I was horrible to you, Dana," said Alice finally, unwavering and solemn in her conviction. "I was horrible and I was mean and I was just like her..." Alice's voice cracked at these words and she released a tiny sob. "I treated you just like she treated him and I swore that I would never do that... I swore that if someone ever loved me like he loved her that I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't ever take them for granted and mistreat them the way my mother mistreated my father. But I did," she said in trembling confession. "I did and I'll understand if you can't forgive me or if you don't want to be with me anymore..."

The sound of a heartbroken sob ended whatever else Alice was going to say and she turned to Dana who wore an expression that was etched in such deep sadness she couldn't bear to see it knowing she was the cause. And so Alice cursed herself, fumbling drunkenly with the seatbelt and hastily exiting Dana's car to stumble towards her apartment building. Continuing to curse herself along the way, thumping her head against the tacky yellow wall, Alice waited for the elevator while loathing her own existence. Why did she always fuck things up? Why? Groaning at the sharp ding the elevator made as the doors opened, she started to walk inside. 

"Alice, wait! Al! Alice, wait up!"

Knowing she couldn't ever refuse Dana, especially now, Alice did as the tennis player asked and waited in the doorway to the elevator. Holding the doors open by putting her hands against them, ignoring the feel of them automatically trying to open only to fall back again at the pressure from her hands. Staring ahead, her head fell and she held back tears when she felt soft lips press against the nape of her neck as strong arms wound around her waist.

"Don't leave me," Dana said in a throaty utterance before burying her face in Alice's neck and holding the blonde closer yet. "Don't you leave me, Al. Don't ever do that."

"Dana," Alice whispered her name in a strange type of reverent disbelief. Almost as if she couldn't quite believe the athlete was still here with her. That she would still want her. Placing her hands on top of Dana's, she fell back into the embrace. "I won't," she said after a long pause. Finding her courage, she turned in Dana's arms and faced the brunette, releasing a cry when she saw earnest blue eyes were filled with tears just like her own. Holding Dana's face in her hands, she moved forward for a passionate kiss, hungry in its need to prove and demonstrate her love. "I won't ever leave you."

"You promise?" Dana half asked, half cried into her, pressing forward until they were both inside the elevator. The doors closing with a sharp ding as they landed against the far wall, lips ravenously seeking one another.

"I promise," growled Alice who captured Dana's lips, tangling her fingers in wavy brown hair and devouring everything that she was. Wanting all of Dana, loving all of Dana, and frantic to prove that in the best way she knew how. "I love you. I love you so much."

They were so caught up they didn't hear the ding of the elevator as it arrived, somewhat magically, at Alice's floor. Magically because neither one of them had bothered to press the floor they wanted once they were inside the elevator. But sadly, it wasn't really magic. It was Patty who needed to make a late night run to the supermarket that caused the elevator doors to magically open at their floor.

And it was Patty with an arched eyebrow and wearing a slight blush who cleared her throat then caused them to pause in their activities. Not separating in the slightest, Alice pressed against the elevator wall, Dana pressed against her, the couple moved to peer backwards at Patty who smiled almost sheepishly.

"Hey," Patty offered her traditional greeting.

Being the sober portion of the couple, Dana was the first to react and turning bright red she took Alice's hand in her own and led the exit from the elevator. "Hey Patty," she muttered, averting her eyes and staring at the door to Alice's apartment which she really wished they were inside. "We were just... uhm... I mean..."

"It's cool," interrupted Patty, not particularly minding what she saw even if it did make her feel that annoying desire to try her hand at dating again. "I gotta go to the grocery store." Walking into the elevator, she turned to face them and formed a tiny but affectionate grin for the couple. "See you two later."

Another ding and the elevator doors shut again.

Dana groaned in embarrassment, walking to Alice's apartment door, unlocking it and going inside. "I wonder what she must be thinking about us now."

"It bothers you... her seeing us together?" asked Alice, her voice small and vulnerable.

Closing the door and turning to Alice, seeing for herself the exposed look that quite clearly revealed her fear of rejection, Dana released a strangled cry and quickly wrapped the blonde up in her arms. "No, never, that could never bother me, Al," she declared, voice muffled through her fierce kisses, trying to show through them exactly what she felt. "I'm so proud to be with you... I am but what we have... god..." Dana pulled her mouth from Alice's with a gasp that sounded again as the blonde sucked and kissed the pulse point in her neck. "It's so special and I don't want to share it with other people. I want it to just be for us." Managing to separate from Alice, feeling nearly as intoxicated as the other woman thanks to their kisses, Dana cupped her face in a gentle hold and met their eyes. "Does that make any sense? Can you understand what I mean? I know I'm not good at explaining things like this..."

"I understand," Alice cut Dana off soft and tender. She moved forward to begin a sweet and loving kiss, murmuring into it as her fingers tangled in wavy brown hair. "I understand and I love you for that." They parted with low groans from them both and Alice fell into Dana, kissing her while the athlete backed them into her bedroom. "I love you, Dana."

"I love you too," Dana replied quiet and powerful. Pulling from their embrace and cupping Alice's face again, studying the planes with a lidded gaze, smiling affectionately when a lock of blonde hair fell into brown eyes and moving to gently push it back into place. Holding Alice, stroking the pale skin of her face and sighing as she leaned forward to rest their foreheads together, Dana locked their eyes to say in an somber utterance, "I won't ever leave you."

She watched as tears formed in Alice's eyes and wanted more than anything to wipe them away as they fell but Dana couldn't. It was made impossible because the moment she tried, the blonde swept her up in a kiss so hungry and fierce and passionate Dana thought she might come just from it alone. But she didn't, instead she moaned into Alice, burying her fingers in messy blonde hair and moving forward to the bed. Wrapping the journalist up in her arms before allowing gravity to do its work, letting them fall onto the soft mattress.

"I want you so much," Alice muttered, her words as desperate as her lips, kissing Dana fervently to then move down her body and leave them naked in seconds. She was certain she had destroyed some of their clothing in her hasty process of removing it but that didn't matter. The only thing that did was Dana. Showing her right now how much Alice loved her and just how sorry she was for how she had treated her, that was all that counted. Sliding up Dana's body and capturing her lips for another kiss, Alice murmured, "I love you."

"Alice..." 

The name came out as a half groan and half plea, Dana's head was turned to one side, buried against a pillow as she felt the delicious burn of full lips kissing a path across her body. She knew the path, she knew what it led to, had led to delightfully so many times before but she didn't want that now. She wanted Alice with her and she tugged on the blonde, pulling her up and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

When they parted, though dazed from alcohol and lust Alice knew Dana well enough to look at her concern and ask in husky tones, "What is it?"

"I want you with me," Dana said, her voice throaty from desire as she tangled her fingers in messy blonde hair. "I want you with me," she repeated breathlessly and she lifted up, seizing Alice's lips for a deep kiss.

"Dana," moaned Alice in response, returning the kiss and escalating it by slipping her tongue inside. Tasting and sucking and devouring everything that was Dana as her fingers traced a journey down tanned skin. Stopping at the edge of her pussy, playing outside and feeling, god, feeling how wet Dana was... how much she wanted her... how much she desired her... and reveling in it. Reveling in the reality that someone wanted her that fucking intensely. It was all she ever wished for. "What else? What else do you want?"

"I want you inside of me," groaned Dana, arching into Alice, lifting her body into the blonde and vaguely recalling a time when those same words had been said to her. "Please."

"Dana," Alice breathed her name in reverence.

She was moaning and saying the name like it was the most precious thing in the world to her. And in a way it was because it was Dana's name and Dana was what Alice cared for the most in this world and that made Dana the most precious thing in the world to her. So of course Alice would say her name that way. She said it and she met their lips for another kiss, slipping her tongue inside, sucking on Dana's, caressing and tugging and teasing her as her fingers parted the wet folds, playing and toying about. Making Dana sob into her kisses with frustration and feeling this, the want and the desperation, Alice kissed her deep and passionate as she finally gave Dana what she wanted and thrust inside.

The sound Dana released was a combination sob of absolute joy and pure relief, her head tilted back into the pillows and her body arched, lifting into Alice with ecstasy. She felt the burn of Alice's lips on hers, kissing her thorough and wanting to then fall to her neck, sucking and licking and caressing. While the fingers inside her, they pressed further yet, exploring as far as they could, touching parts of her that Dana didn't even know existed and sending sharp jolts of pleasure through her body. Grasping at Alice, she gripped the blonde's hips and pulled her aggressively up and into her, meeting their lips for another kiss and rising impatiently into Alice, matching the rhythm of her fingers and intensifying it.

"Harder," Dana gasped through the kiss, her head falling back and her mouth opening wordlessly as Alice thrust further still. "Fuck me harder."

And she did, Alice fucked Dana harder and faster and deeper, pressing their bodies so close they wondered if it was possible to ever get any closer only to prove themselves wrong just seconds later when they did. Lips devouring one another, swallowing the moans and cries of pleasure, leaving the only sound in the room the almost nonexistent noise of the Super Queen mattress and its springs holding out to the best of their very expensive Swedish made ability. When Dana came, her body frozen in a portrait of total sexual gratification the only thing to be heard was the quiet thump of their bodies falling onto the bed moments later.

Then Dana groaned, low and husky from her throat, when Alice slipped her fingers out of her, then moved forward to bury her face in the crook of her neck as Dana wrapped her up in an a weary but very happy embrace. They were still for what seemed like hours but was only seconds and Alice lightly kissed Dana's neck then chuckled.

"What?" asked Dana, sounding both curious and languid, her hand reaching down to play with messy blonde hair that was now in complete disarray.

"It's nothing," said Alice happily, snuggling further into Dana and sighing at the sensation of fingers playing with her hair. "I was just thinking that there's no way I could ever leave you after having sex like that." Lifting her head and meeting their eyes, Dana saw the mischievous twinkle in her brown gaze, Alice continued, "Because it makes me way too fucking tired."

Alice soon found herself pinned onto the bed, body collapsing from laughter, squirming under the knowing touch of Dana's hands. Though she had been telling the truth, she was way too fucking tired, it didn't stop her from accepting Dana's zealous kisses that led to another fiercely ardent session of love making. Just because it didn't really matter just how fucking tired she was, Alice would always want to do that.

She would always want to be with Dana.

\---

Time was a ridiculous concept if you asked Gabby. How can you track something as vague and indefinable as time anyway?

Two weeks and three days was the amount of time that had passed since Gabby had seen Alice drunk at The Palms. It didn't seem like it that little time had passed because to her it felt like a lifetime thanks to everything that had gone on.

For the first time in her life Gabby was confused and she didn't like the feeling at all.

Some might wonder about that, bringing up the fact that Gabby was fickle so how could she possibly just now be confused. Well, it's very different to be confused and not fickle. If you were confused you didn't know what you wanted. While if you were fickle you knew what you wanted but you just constantly changed your mind about exactly what that was.

And now Gabby was confused not fickle.

Confused about what she wanted, who she wanted, which like time was just a ridiculous concept to her. She always knew what she wanted. That was part and parcel of her just being who she was. Gabby knew what she wanted in life and she went after it and made it hers. That was what she did, that was who she was.

She wasn't sure what she wanted and that left her confused about what to do. Part of her wanted to be angry at the person who had caused this confusion in her but Gabby couldn't be angry at her. The mere idea of being angry at Lara Perkins was utterly foreign to her.

Lara was just so... Lara... she was so kind and sweet and genuine and she had given Gabby an honest chance. Ignoring the gossip and the insults and the countless warnings, some that had even been delivered to her face with Gabby standing next to her, and took Gabby at face value. No one she dated had done that for her before. Not even Alice.

Then there was Alice. She hadn't changed her mind about Alice, no, not at all. Alice was hers. Gabby knew that without the slightest bit of doubt. Alice belonged with her and she always had and she always would but now...

But now there was Lara.

The situation fucked up, royally fucked up, Gabby knew that. She had started dating Lara to get closer to Alice and Dana, in hopes of creating trouble by dating the only ex the tennis player held any sort of fondness for. Wanting to make Dana jealous and raise insecurities in Alice about their relationship, creating a gap between them that Gabby could eventually use to sweep in and claim Alice as her own. Then Lara had turned out to be such... god, she was such a good person... not to mention being the best lay Gabby had ever had.

Better than Alice in some ways.

It was the indescribable air of innocence that the redhead had about her that did it, Gabby was sure. The playful sparkle in her green eyes and that tiny grin tugging on her lips, reminding Gabby of a naughty child, and the way she would do that right before she ate the brunette out with such ferocious hunger and desire it made her quiver at the thought of it.

Fucked.

Utterly and totally fucked was Gabby. Enough that she felt like going on a drinking binge like Alice had at The Palms. What the hell was she supposed to do anyway? She wanted Alice and she didn't want to abandon her plans to win her back but at the same time... 

She couldn't hurt Lara.

So fucked.

How the hell was she supposed to get Alice and not hurt Lara? And then there was the fact that... fuck... she wanted Lara too. She wanted Lara almost as much as she wanted Alice. Oh hell, that was a lie and she knew it. She did want Lara as much as she wanted Alice and that was why she was fucked.

Because she wanted them both and she couldn't have them both and she didn't know what to do. Which to choose. Certainly it would be easier to pick Lara but Gabby wasn't someone who made her decisions based on what was easiest. In fact, she often did the opposite. Quite enjoying the idea of proving herself by achieving what was most difficult.

But still, she couldn't hurt Lara.

The confusion had to leave, she had to sweep it from her mind and make her choice, the sooner the better. This thought was firm in her mind as she walked into The Planet and blinked at the sight of Alice sitting at the front counter. 

Irritated at herself for being surprised at seeing Alice at The Planet of all places, since it was the blonde and her friends long standing hang out, Gabby put her mask of self confidence into place and drawled, "Alice."

"Gabby," Alice said her name and jerked in her seat, reflecting the same surprise that the brunette had forced herself to suppress moments ago.

Chuckling in pleasure at this reaction, Gabby lifted an eyebrow and remarked, "I thought you would have a more interesting demise than muttering to yourself at The Planet."

"Yeah," said Alice dimly, staring at Gabby in something akin to shock. "Wow."

Although she knew she really shouldn't, not with Lara here doing her interview or try out or whatever you called it when a chef made food for her potential employer, Gabby couldn't resist opening up her arms exuberant and wide. "Give me a hug," she declared, smiling large and embracing still very stupefied Alice.

"Okay... uhm... hi," Alice muttered, returning Gabby's greeting and dealing with the hug rather uncomfortably.

"You look good," complimented Gabby, smiling happily and watching Alice closely to gauge her facial expressions. Much like Dana, she knew that when it came to the blonde you had to pay attention to how Alice looked and sounded when she spoke to truly find out what was going on inside of her head. 

"Thanks," said Alice skeptically, lifting an eyebrow and matching the smile with one of her own that was guarded in its intent. "What's wrong with you?"

Releasing a low murmur, Gabby leaned casually against the counter and easily fell into the routine she had seen many times before of someone who was so head over heels in love they wanted to tell anyone they met. "Nothing except that I'm in love," Gabby announced. She couldn't help but smile internally when Alice formed an expression that to her clearly said 'bullshit' and went on, "Yeah." Now thoroughly into the act, so much so that she couldn't help but wonder if maybe it wasn't an act at all, Gabby pressed her hands playfully against her chest. "Gabby Deveaux in love."

"Wow," Alice said again as she kept the bullshit expression on her face.

"How are you?" asked Gabby, voice reflecting actual care.

Enough that Alice blinked and tilted her head, regarding Gabby much like she was a space alien who had just landed to Earth and said she wanted to suck out her brain. "I'm fine... I'm doing really good actually," revealed Alice, smiling softly.

"You had several hours of scorching make up sex with your tennis player didn't you," Gabby drawled humorously, lifting an eyebrow and wearing a knowing look on her face. As she said this, she knew it would make the blonde recall the several instances where she and Alice had done the same thing.

"Yeah, I did," Alice muttered, blushing as she averted her gaze. The gesture had Gabby smiling smugly only to wipe the look quickly from her face when Alice focused on her. "Well," she coughed, shrugging her shoulders a bit. "Do I know your new paramour?"

Unable to help herself, Gabby turned from Alice and looked around the cafe in search of Lara. "She's... uhm..." Upon spotting the familiar head of red hair, Gabby smiled fondly and reached her hand out to Lara who was already making her approach. "Here she is."

"Lara?" asked Alice, blinking stupidly and Gabby again formed another internal smile, this one of triumph, at the shocked look the blonde was wearing. This was definitely having an effect and if she was reading Alice correctly, which she always did, there was an edge of jealousy in her tone. She knew it, she just knew this plan would work.

"Hey Alice," said Lara, smiling warmly.

"I guess you do," said Gabby who was rather proud as to how ignorant she made herself sound about exactly why Alice would know Lara. "Hey baby," she murmured into Lara, meeting their lips for several quick kisses. "Did she like your recipes?" She was honestly curious as to how Lara's cooking interview thing with Kit had gone. Though she wasn't particularly fond of The Planet due to Alice's personal guard always being there she did want Lara to do well.

"Dishes," Lara laughed affectionately, cupping Gabby's cheek and pushing aside a stray lock of hair. "We call them dishes and not recipes."

"Dishes, right," drawled Gabby, nodding her head and rolling her eyes.

"So Alice," said Lara as she turned her attention to the journalist who was already packing up her laptop computer. "How's Dana? She told me about Tonya staying on as her Manager and that whole Fila endorsement. It sounds great."

"Yeah, great, she's great, we're great, I'm great," Alice said in overly perky tones as she laughed slightly. "I've got to go... I've got an interview and... yeah... bye!"

Gabby watched Alice exit, her eyes narrowed to judge the nervousness in the blonde. She had definitely been bothered by seeing her with Lara although she wasn't sure if it was from personal jealousy or worry of what effect the news of her dating the redhead would have on Dana. Either way, it had an effect and that was what she had been hoping for all along.

The soft touch of Lara's hand trailing down her arm instantly had Gabby looking up into sparkling green eyes and as soon as she did, she found herself lost in them. Moving forward without her own volition, Gabby met Lara's lips for a tender kiss and when she felt the redhead deepen it, capturing her tongue for a light and playful suck she knew one thing for certain.

She really was so royally fucked.

\---

The chart had been a passion of Alice's for years now and for years it had been pretty much mocked by every person who heard about it. First by her friends, then by her lovers, and then by her colleagues at LA Magazine. In fact, the only person who took The chart somewhat seriously was Dana.

Which was part of why Alice loved Dana.

But here she was, sitting in Mimi's office at KCRW, listening to her regale endlessly how brilliant the chart was and how they could develop this into an entire radio show all about connections. 

Wait a minute. 

An entire radio show? This was just supposed to be a three minute culture spot wasn't it? When had a radio show come into this picture? She didn't remember a radio show being mentioned. The surprise she felt must have shown up clearly on her face because Mimi was giving her that fond big sister look she often wore and asking her if she was feeling all right.

"I thought this was an audition for a three minute culture spot," Alice decided to simply voice her thoughts out loud, figuring that would be the best way to get her questions answered. 

"It is," said Mimi who smiled large and leaned forward to rest her arms on her desk. "But I'll let you in on a little secret, Alice." She made a tiny gesture and Alice scooted to the edge of her seat, leaning towards Mimi. "We're looking to change the feel of the station. People tend to think of talk radio as either boring or obnoxious. We want to add new on air personalities that aren't either of these things. What we want," Mimi drawled with obvious pleasure, "are likable people. The type that our listeners can get invested in. Feel like they're friends with them... you know," she smiled playfully. "Form a connection."

"A connection," echoed Alice, her eyes going wide. Releasing a tiny cry of happiness, she clapped her hands and said, "You're kidding!" When Mimi laughed and shook her head, Alice put her hand to her mouth and bit on it slightly. "You're not kidding! You're seriously looking for new on air personalities? So this isn't for just a three minute culture spot? Or is it? I mean, what is this really, Mimi? You can't leave me hanging!"

"This audition was for a three minute culture spot," revealed Mimi, leaning back in her seat now. "We're bringing in a lot of different people to do some minor spots like the one you just auditioned for. Each of you will have a few months to settle in, develop your on air style and audience following. As you do so, we'll increase air time little by little. When the trial period is over, we'll determine which people were most successful in gaining audience loyalty and ratings then go from there."

"Basically if I do well, I'll eventually have my own show," Alice supplied eagerly, now literally sitting on the edge of her seat.

"Yes, basically," Mimi nodded, grinning. "Alice," she murmured, her voice fond and big sisterly again. "Do your best with this. Because after watching you today, I think you and radio just might be the perfect fit."

"You know what, Mimi?" drawled Alice, matching the grin with a huge one of her own. "I think you might just be right." 

\---

The fact that the British helped make the game of tennis into the sport it was today granted the entire country, and its people, an automatic thumbs up of approval from Dana. This was something she didn't think would ever change because of how much she truly loved her chosen sport and profession. 

But then she met Helena Peabody.

To be fair, it should be pointed out that Helena didn't do anything wrong to incite Dana's ire. In fact, she had been the portrait of consideration and charm when she appeared with Tina at The Planet this afternoon. 

Dana would prefer to claim the reason she disliked Helena was because of her loyalty to Bette. Because of the way Helena flirted with Tina, showing obvious affection for her without the least bit of concern she was seated at the same table as Tina's former lover of seven years. She would prefer to claim that but she couldn't.

Not if she wanted to tell the truth, anyway. No, the real reason Helena Peabody was responsible for taking away Britain's two thumbs way up from Dana Fairbanks seal of approval was that stupid Hermes scarf Helena had put on Alice. Though logically she knew the gesture was a friendly one, most likely done to impress Tina, just recalling the sight of Helena as she wrapped the scarf around Alice's neck made Dana start to scowl.

There was nothing to be jealous over, Dana knew that. She knew Alice loved her. Hell, she even knew from the perplexed and slightly uncomfortable look the blonde shot her that Alice wasn't too keen on keeping the scarf that was given her. And she also knew that Helena didn't have the slightest bit of interest in Alice because it was Tina she was after.

She knew all of these things and she remained jealous. After considering it for some time, Dana finally determined the reason. To her, the gesture Helena made was a romantic one. Not meant to romance Alice, of course, but still... a romantic gesture and the last thing Dana ever wanted to see was someone other than her romancing the woman she loved.

"Stupid scarf," Dana muttered peevishly to herself, eyeing it from across the room where it sat next to her purse. Somehow or another the scarf had ended up in her purse, something she discovered upon first arriving at the photo shoot for Women's Fitness. Thanks to that Dana spent the entire shoot staring at her purse and simmering in her jealousy.

The sound of a low rumbling purr and the feel of a super fluffy head rubbing against her leg snapped Dana out of her thoughts. Smiling instantly, Dana crouched down to gently pet Marshmallow Kitty's head. The name had already ended up being shortened by both Dana and Alice because of its length. Dana called the kitten simply Marshmallow while Alice had a strange fondness for calling him Poofy.

"You're lucky, Marshmallow," said Dana with a sigh, sinking down to sit on the floor of her bedroom. At this gesture, the kitten bumbled over to her in that lazy manner he had and settled onto her leg, pressing his head into her hand to encourage the petting to continue. "Cats don't have social obligations, you know? If you met a cat that you didn't like because they were all British and lesbian James Bond smooth around your girlfriend you wouldn't have to go to their dinner party because your friend is maybe kinda sorta dating them. You could probably... I don't know... hiss at them and then just not go." 

Marshmallow Kitty stared solemnly at Dana then licked the palm of her hand by way of response. Chuckling softly, Dana scratched behind his ears gently and was rewarded with another low rumbling purr. They were sitting like that when the distinctive sound of Alice returning home filled the condo. The door opening and closing with a series of bangs, the sound of unknown objects being tossed around, then followed by the thump of feet running up the stairs. It never failed to entertain Dana that Alice's vibrant personality transformed anything she did, even coming home, into a lively event.

"Dane! You're not going to believe what happened with my audition for KCRW!" 

Just as Dana began to push herself up and off the floor, Alice appeared in the doorway to her bedroom with a big and bright smile on her features. Walking quickly over to Dana, she dropped to her knees and leaned forward to give the brunette a soft and very sweet kiss.

When she pulled back, Alice was still smiling as she tucked a lock of brown hair behind Dana's ear then cupped her face tenderly. "I had such a good audition thanks to you," she said with quiet happiness. Dana blinked at this and tried to think of a reply as Marshmallow Kitty distracted Alice by nudging her midsection with his fluffy head. Looking at him, the blonde chuckled and murmured, "Poofy. What's up?"

"What did I do to help?" asked Dana in confusion. She loved the idea that she played a part in Alice's obvious success at the audition but she had no clue as to how that would happen. 

"The be your funny self speech," Alice supplied and gave another happy grin, letting her playful instincts take over to flick the tennis player lightly on the tip of her nose. "I followed it and huzzah! You're looking at a new employee for KCRW. Oh yeah," Alice wore a supremely smug expression. "Who's the queen of ultra good and super funny land?"

Unable to help getting swept up by Alice's happiness, Dana released a throaty chuckle and gripped the blonde's hips to pull her onto her lap. A movement that had Marshmallow Kitty casually leaping from his place on Dana's leg and onto the floor. Sliding her hands up the sides of Alice's body in a smooth and sensual caress, Dana leaned in. Their lips were only a breath apart as she murmured, "You're queen of ultra good and super funny land."

"Well, what do you know?" said Alice in a husky reply, her brown eyes twinkling with amusement. "That was just the right answer." After saying this, she dipped her head forward to capture Dana's lips for a kiss. 

The moment their lips met, Dana instinctively reached up to cradle the back of Alice's head, fingers stroking the soft hair in a gesture that the journalist was delightfully familiar with. Dana whimpered faintly when Alice deepened the kiss, her tongue pressing for entrance to slide against the athlete's before capturing it sweetly. They parted satisfied sighs from them both, though Dana's was trembling and wavering thanks to Alice deciding to end the kiss by slowly sucking and pulling on her bottom lip. 

A loving smile formed on Dana's face as she rested her forehead against Alice's and toyed absently with the hairs at the nape of the journalist's neck. "All right your highness," she said, fondly affectionate. "Tell me what your ultra good and super funny self did for an audition." 

"The chart," said Alice proudly, beaming at Dana.

"The chart of what?" asked Dana who was experiencing yet another one of her slow on the uptake moments. 

"The chart chart!" Alice replied, rolling her eyes and laughing at Dana's sudden bout of ignorance. "You know," she drawled playfully, leaning in to put their faces millimeters apart. "The one you drew your elaborately art deco line that links the two of us romantically."

"The chart!" exclaimed Dana, eyes going wide as she finally understood. Releasing an amazed laugh, she grabbed Alice by the hips and said, "That's great, Al!" 

"Isn't it?" said Alice, basking in her professional success.

"I'm so proud of you," Dana murmured and her blue eyes glowed with affection as she pulled Alice to her again. A tiny smile tugged at her lips and putting on a faux British accent, she drawled, "The chart with Alice Pieszecki. Fridays at three on KCRW."

"Ohhh," Alice exclaimed in delight, "good voice."

"You like?" chuckled Dana, still speaking in the faux accent and putting their lips oh so close.

"Yeah," said Alice, laughing.

Arching an eyebrow and managing to look utterly solemn, Dana rumbled with the fake accent, "Make out with me Alice."

Together they laughed into another kiss and when they parted, Dana ran her hands down Alice's body, smiling as her eyes traced her frame. "What made you pick the chart, anyway? You had so many other ideas," she murmured.

Instead of replying, Alice averted her brown eyes to stare at the far wall and nibbled on her bottom lip. Both of which were trademark Alice gestures that Dana knew the blonde only did when she was nervous or worried about something.

"Al," Dana said, soft with concern. "What is it?"

Heaving a huge sigh, Alice nibbled on her bottom lip again and worked up her courage. After a few moments, she decided to just bite the bullet and looking Dana in the eyes, she said, "I ran into Gabby Deveaux at The Planet."

"You did," said Dana in level tones, her face as unreadable as her voice.

"Yeah," Alice said, once again averting her eyes thanks to the tone Dana used and the veiled look on her face. "She was all 'lets be friends'!" Laughing nervously, trying to mask her anxiety with humor, she continued, "I don't understand this need to have a deep yet sexless relationship with an ex that treated you shitty and cheated on you but hey..."

No response came from Dana whose expression was as unreadable as ever. Her heart constricting painfully, Alice scooted carefully backwards and off of the tennis player's lap, convinced she had done something wrong. The movement snapped Dana out of the daze she was in and she gently gripped the blonde's waist, stopping her from going anywhere. Alice ceased her retreat but she kept her gaze averted from Dana's until she couldn't because of the athlete cupping her face to turn her head and meet their eyes.

"I love you," murmured Dana, voice thick with emotion. In a smooth and effortless motion, she pulled Alice closer yet and captured her lips for a searing kiss. Her mouth hot and insistent, tugging frantically at Alice's, tongue firm and knowing, exploring what she already knew so well but trying to go deeper still. When they parted with a loud gasp from Alice, all was silent as the blonde rested her head on Dana's shoulder, face snuggled into the crook of her neck. After several moments, the tennis player said in low tones, "But I don't trust Gabby Deveaux. Please tell me what happened, Al." 

Remaining tucked into Dana's neck, Alice was slightly muffled when she replied, "I was running through more of my less than brilliant ideas for the audition and she was just sort of there. I heard her voice and looked up and bam! There stood Gabby Deveaux. And it's like I said, she was all 'lets be friends' and super huggy with me. It..." Alice trailed off, when she spoke again her voice was tiny and lost and utterly perplexed, "It was weird, Dane. She's never been like that with me. Never."

"And then?" Dana prompted, jaw constricting grimly.

Seeming to shrink in Dana's arms, as if she was hiding from something truly terrible, Alice whispered, "And then Lara showed up."

"Lara?" asked Dana, frowning in confusion.

"She was there to cook for Kit. To see about getting the job for head chef," Alice reminded the athlete of the news they heard from both Kit and Lara a week or so ago. When Dana made a slight sound of recollection, she bit her lip and tried to work up her courage. She remained in stasis, trying to be brave until she felt Dana's warm hands softly caressing her back, rubbing it in a comforting circular motion. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Alice finally said, "Lara kissed Gabby. They're dating, Dana."

Silence.

"What?" Dana's voice, shaky in disbelief, pierced the silence.

"Lara and Gabby are seeing each other," said Alice quietly, hiding in Dana's embrace, not wanting to pull away to see the expression on the brunette's face.

Only she didn't have much choice when Dana pushed her forward and lifted her chin so they were looking at one another. "Say that again," demanded Dana, quiet but fierce.

Flinching visibly, Alice looked away from Dana when the tennis player's fingers slipped from her face. "Lara is dating Gabby," she said in a frustrated whisper. When Dana froze at these words, Alice used the opportunity to slide off her lap and rise to her feet. Hugging herself for comfort, she continued, "I'm not sure how long its been going on but it looked pretty serious. They... they seem to really like each other, Dane."

"I can't believe this," muttered Dana, bitter and incredulous. "What the hell is wrong with Lara dating Gabby Deveaux? Doesn't she know what a bitch she is?"

"Lara wasn't on the chart," offered Alice almost hesitantly. "Maybe she doesn't know about Gabby's reputation. We've never even talked to her about Gabby."

"That doesn't change the fact that it's Gabby fucking Deveaux, Al," said Dana, her voice dripping with sarcasm and anger. Pushing herself to her feet, she ran her fingers through wavy brown hair in aggravation and muttered, "I can't believe Lara would fall for her bullshit charm routine. I thought she was smarter than that."

"Smarter than me, you mean," said Alice flatly.

Jerking her head towards Alice and taking in the dull look in dark brown eyes, Dana filled with panic and quickly crossed to the blonde. "God, Al, no..." she murmured, trying to hold Alice who squirmed in her hold, fighting her. "Alice... Al... please," Dana was begging now, trying her best to keep the journalist still. "Please, Al..." She gave up trying to be gentle and pulled the blonde forcibly into her arms and wrapped her up in a tight embrace. Alice was stiff and unyielding in her arms and Dana pressed their faces side by side as she murmured, "I'm sorry... I love you. I'm just... surprised to hear Lara is dating Gabby. It's... god," she released a shaky laugh. "I don't have words for what it is."

"Fucking twisted?" Alice said, her voice muffled.

"Yeah," chuckled Dana and she pulled back to gaze at Alice who kept her head ducked. Cupping Alice's chin and meeting their eyes once again, she cursed herself on seeing the insecurity lurking there. "I'm sorry, Al. I didn't mean to take it out on you... I'm just worried about Lara. I know first hand how she likes to give people second chances and usually that tends to hurt her in the end. And I..." Dana trailed off helplessly and sighed deeply.

"You don't want to see Gabby hurt her," finished Alice knowingly.

"Yeah," Dana echoed wearily, falling into Alice for another embrace.

Pressing a tender kiss onto Dana's temple and stroking wavy brown hair, Alice murmured tentatively, "Maybe she won't. Maybe Gabby's changed." Instead of replying, Dana released a loud snort of skepticism and Alice chuckled. "Or maybe the real Lara is gone and the one I saw has been totally Invaded of Body Snatchers."

"I like that," Dana said, voice laced with amusement. "It makes way more sense."

Smiling softly at this, Alice toyed with Dana's hair and tried to block out the sinking feeling in her stomach. The one that started the moment Dana began her anti-Gabby tirade. The one that had her wondering if maybe it wasn't just about Dana not wanting Gabby to hurt Lara. The one that planted the suspicion that Dana wasn't quite over Lara.

Bullshit, she knew. It was bullshit to think that way. She knew Dana loved her but she couldn't help being worried because Lara was just so damn Lara. As far as Alice could tell the redhead was nearly perfect and she had been Dana's first adult relationship.

In some strange way, maybe even her first love.

That kind of thing was hard to get over. Alice knew that from personal experience. Her first love had been her high school boyfriend, Isaac Hix, and part of her still thought she wasn't over him. Probably because they had dated since the second month of their freshman year and he had to move away their senior year. Just thinking of Isaac made Alice smile. His unruly black hair that always made it look like he had a constant case of bed head, those reassuring green eyes, and that crooked smile that always held a hint of mischief. Isaac had been the first person Alice knew that really listened to her... who really cared and she had loved him desperately for that. She knew he felt the same, that's why when he moved they decided to just break it off. To stay in contact and know they couldn't be together, couldn't see each other, would hurt them too much.

But Alice still thought of him sometimes.

"I can't let Gabby hurt her," the sound of Dana's voice broke into Alice's walk down memory lane. "I can't let her do that. I have to at least warn Lara about her."

"I know," Alice said in resignation as she sighed. "I know you do."

Moving out of their embrace, Dana held Alice's face and searched her eyes, "You know I love you, right? I only love you, Al. I'm just worried for Lara, that's all."

"I know," repeated Alice, forming a weak smile.

Wearing a worried expression at this, Dana started to say something else but the phone rang and she darted her eyes to the dresser where it sat. Alice gave Dana a tender squeeze and murmured, "I'll go get that." Picking up the phone, she looked at Dana with lidded eyes then said, "Hello?"

"Dana?" Jenny's rather confused voice rang in her ear.

"Hey Jenny," said Alice, breaking her gaze away from Dana. "This is Alice."

"I'm calling to let you guys know we're not going to Helena's for that dinner party," said Jenny, sounding a tad bit like a naughty child. "Shane, Carmen, and I. Plus Mark. But he wasn't invited in the first place so I guess he doesn't count."

"What?" Alice blinked. "Hold on a minute, okay?" Covering the phone with her left hand, she looked to Dana and said, "Jenny and them aren't going to Helena's."

"Where are they going?" asked Dana, frowning.

"Where are you going?" Alice echoed Dana's words, smiling slightly when she heard Jenny chuckle at their little routine.

"Bette's," chirped Jenny happily. "Shane came up with the idea. She said it's been too long since you guys have had family night and we need to start a new tradition. So how about it? Are you two going to join us?"

"I'm pretty sure we will but hold on again," said Alice, chuckling and lowering the phone slightly. "They're going over to Bette's to start a new family night tradition." A slow smile curving on her lips, she drawled, "What do you think? You want to go with them?" Dana paused to consider this and Alice's brown eyes twinkled playfully. "Come on, Dane," she said in mischievous tones. "Forget about those manners your mother drilled into you. After all, Bette has never given me a fancy scarf. That includes when we were dating."

Considering it for a few seconds, Dana declared firmly, "We're going."

"You hear that, Jenny?" asked Alice with amusement.

"Loud and clear," replied Jenny, still sounding perky to an almost disturbing degree. "We'll be seeing you in a few."

"Later," Alice chuckled before ending the call. Placing the phone back in its receiver she walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs. "We better get going, Dane. If we get there last then Shane will get to pick the food and last time she did that I was sick for a week."

Frowning slightly, Dana headed after Alice and watched the blonde busy herself with searching through her pile of belongings that she dumped by the front door. When Alice finally retrieved her coat and shrugged it on, Dana was on her, pressing her against the door in a forceful but gentle movement.

"Dana?" asked Alice in definite confusion, her brow furrowing when the tennis player shushed her quietly by placing an index finger over her lips.

"Do you know how much I love you?" Dana said in a husky confession, her finger falling away as her hands gripped Alice's hips. She pulled the blonde into her body while using gravity to press them both against the door. Dipping her head down, Dana gave into her impulses and slowly nuzzled a path up Alice's neck and whispered in her ear, "How much I want you? Sometimes I think you do but then sometimes, like right now, I don't." She paused then said in stark and soft tones, "And I don't like that feeling, Al."

"Dana," Alice's voice cracked on saying her name.

"I love you," said Dana again, her breath hot on Alice's skin as her lips pressed into her to begin a path of kisses. "Only you." She moved back to search the depths of brown eyes in front of her. "You believe me, don't you?"

"I believe you," said Alice who was now frantic and eager, darting forward for another kiss. "Of course, I believe you." The kiss deepened and she moaned low in her throat when they parted for air, Dana's fingers tangled in her blonde locks. "And I love you too."

To no one's real surprise, they were the last to arrive at family night and to Alice's misery Shane had indeed gotten to choose what they would be eating. But this time she was only sick for four days instead of seven.

That was something, at least.

\---

Shifting in the too high seat in the passenger side of Dana's Outback uncomfortably, Alice squinted at the large house that the brunette had grown up in. Though if you asked her it wasn't really a house... it was estate or something like that. Dana claimed it couldn't be an estate or a mansion because it only had six bedrooms. Apparently estates and mansions require having more than six bedrooms.

Six was plenty enough if you asked Alice.

The house was just so... big and white and fairly intimidating. Which was funny to Alice because she wasn't really put off by fancy digs. She had lived with her mother during the height of her career, after all.

How many bedrooms did Lenore's old house have? Alice was sure it was more than six. That meant she sort of grew up in a mansion... a big empty mansion. Somehow Alice knew Dana's house hadn't been like that. That being so, why was it so intimidating?

Probably because of who was inside it, Alice reasoned. Turning to Dana and lightly squeezing her hand, she murmured, "You ready?"

"This was a bad idea," said Dana in foreboding tones.

"It's only dinner, Dane. We're not planning for the future world peace. All we need to do is get along with her for an hour or two," said Alice, chuckling and squeezing Dana's hand again in reassurance. "And shouldn't I be the nervous one here? I mean, she's going to be my lesbian version of a mother-in-law. You get Lenore to deal with."

"Yeah," said Dana dimly, still sounding rather foreboding as she stared blankly at her parents house.

Sighing and tilting her head to one side, Alice formed a mischievous smile then said casually, "Lenore's much easier to deal with, if you ask me. Once you disregard her habit of hitting on everyone I date and trying to link herself to people on the chart. I guess everyone's mother tries to get sex from their dates though."

"Yeah," said Dana, remaining foreboding and blank. Then she blinked and whipped her head to stare at Alice. "Lenore does what?!" she practically screeched in a panic.

"And she can hear," Alice said affectionately. "I was beginning to wonder if you were turning Helen Keller on me. Which would suck because I'm so not Anne Sullivan."

"That wasn't funny, Al," said Dana peevishly. "I could almost believe Lenore would do something like that."

"Well, she does try to link herself to people on the chart," revealed Alice, smiling. When Dana scowled and didn't look the least bit amused, Alice unbuckled her seatbelt and squirmed until she was practically sitting in Dana's lap. The tennis player looked away from her, staring out the window, still in the midst of her pouting. "Don't be mad," Alice crooned, leaning in and tugging on Dana's ear lobe before releasing it to kiss the line of her jaw. "I was only teasing to try and get you to relax. You shouldn't be this tense. It's not good."

Sighing in pleasure as Alice slipped her fingers into wavy brown hair and massaged her scalp, Dana said quietly, "I can't help it. My mother... she makes me nervous. She has since I was a teenager. When I was little things were different somehow... it seemed like she didn't expect as much from me. But when I was older I got the impression that nothing I did was really good enough. Like something was missing in me... I don't know," she muttered, sounding annoyed with herself. "I can't explain it. It's just a feeling I get."

Alice released a thoughtful murmur then pressed a soft kiss against Dana's cheek and whispered in her ear, "I think I can understand. But us staying out here and staring at the house isn't really helping anything, is it?"

"No," said Dana wryly, thinking of her mother's reaction to knowing they had lurked outside for close to an hour now without coming inside. "I guess it doesn't."

Smiling warmly, Alice captured Dana's lips for a kiss that was getting interesting as the brunette's tongue slipped inside to duel with her own when a series of loud bangs sounded against the passenger door window. They parted from the kiss but remained in each other's arms, heads pressed side to side as they stared at Howie's smushed face as he squashed it up against the window.

"How!" groaned Dana irritably, pressing a button and lowering the window, allowing Howie to poke his entire head inside the car. "I just had the car washed."

"Stop bitching, you've got the cash," Howie responded carelessly. Focusing on Alice, he waggled his eyebrows and formed a lascivious grin. "You having fun with my big sis?" 

"Oodles," drawled Alice humorously.

"You gave up the sausage for her, so she must be good in the sack, right?" asked Howie, grinning big. "At least that's what I'm thinking."

"You think about that?" Alice arched an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "You know we're in California and not West Virginia, hm? Incest is not an encouraged practice in these parts."

"Gross," Howie scrunched his nose up in a gesture that made Alice laugh loudly because it reminded her so much of Dana. "She's my sister and she's not hot."

"According to you," said Alice, her eyes twinkling. "However, I would beg to differ."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here," snapped Dana in petulant tones.

"Dude!" Howie exclaimed softly, appearing altogether shocked at her outburst. He had never seen his sister act that way before.

Alice, on the other hand, was rather used to this reaction from Dana and cupping the brunette's cheek she tilted her head down to meet their eyes. "Hey," she murmured. "He's on our side, remember? Little brothers always act this way. At least, that's what I've been told. I don't have one. I have two ancient older siblings that are a royal pain in the ass."

"Are you calling me a pain in the ass?" demanded Howie.

Looking from Alice to Howie and narrowing her eyes a bit, Dana grabbed his nose and squeezed it in between her thumb and index finger. "Yes, we're calling you a pain in the ass," she answered, forming an almost evil grin. "Because that's what you are, How."

"Leb go!" Howie insisted in nasal tones, whapping ineffectively at Dana's hand as she continued to squeeze his nose. "Leb go, Dayba! I habe web bo dis!"

Considering this, Dana clucked her tongue and said casually, "I don't know... I don't hear the magic words and you know I don't let go until I hear the magic words."

"I habe boo!" scowled Howie, glaring at her.

"Yes, I know you hate me," Dana chuckled. "Now, the words?"

Howie formed a petulant expression that was almost an exact match for Dana's and grumbled, "Bennis bocs."

"Yes, tennis does rock," uttered Dana solemnly, nodding her head. "And it makes me so happy when you acknowledge that, How."

With that, she released her hold on his nose and Howie scrambled away from the car, rubbing his nose and scowling at Dana deeply. "You suck," he accused.

Dana chuckled again and started to reply but she froze on seeing the front doors to the house open as Sharon walked outside. She stood there for a moment then called out to them in rather irritated tones, "Do you plan on staying out here all day, Dana? Because we can arrange to have dinner in your vehicle. It wouldn't be any trouble."

"Busted," said Howie, sing song and triumphant.

Hurrying out of the car and bumping Alice's head against the ceiling in the process, Dana stood on her tip toes to respond in an anxious call, "No! We're coming inside now, Mom! We were just talking with Howie, that's all!"

"She was abusing me," Howie said more to himself than anyone else since he said this too quiet for Sharon to hear but wasn't really looking at Dana or Alice when he spoke. 

Instead of replying, Sharon walked back inside the house and when she did, Dana sank down and leaned against the car. "God," she groaned pitifully. "This is starting out bad."

"Yeah," said Howie in agreement, stepping closer but not close enough that Dana could grab his nose. "First you torture your adorable baby brother, then you piss Mom off, and you end it by giving your girlfriend brain damage when exiting your foreign sports utility vehicle."

"Al!" yelped Dana, sounding close to panic as she whirled around to face Alice who was sitting in the drivers seat and rubbing the top of her head. "Oh no, Al," she groaned and carefully touched the blonde locks. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"I don't remember how to do quantum equations," Alice mumbled, sounding gloomy. "Wait," she chuckled, lifting brown eyes to reveal a playful twinkle. "I never knew how to do those in the first place. I guess I'm okay then, huh, Dane?"

"You're something, all right," murmured Dana, her voice laced with deep affection, leaning forward to put their faces a breath apart. Caressing Alice's cheek, she said, "I didn't mean to hurt you. When I heard my Mom's voice I just..."

"Freaked out?" suggested Alice wryly. Tangling her fingers in wavy brown locks, she deposited a soft kiss on the crown of Dana's head and said softly, "Don't worry. I've been through worse, trust me."

"Like sand through the hour glass," intoned Howie dramatically, humming the theme song to the soap opera for good measure. "These are the gays of our lives."

"Howie," growled Dana, appearing as if she might make another grab for his nose.

In response, Howie released a strange noise of delight and panic then took off running towards the large house that Alice privately thought should maybe be called an estate. Climbing out of the car, she shut the door and stood next to Dana who was staring at the house moodily.

"Come on," said Alice in a quiet murmur, squeezing Dana's hand. "Lets go." When the tennis player didn't make a move, she stood in front of her and reached up to cup her chin. "I know it's scary but it's your family, Dane, and they love you."

"You're right," Dana whispered, her throat convulsing. "I don't know why I'm so nervous."

"You're bringing me home to meet the folks," chuckled Alice, taking Dana's hand and gently pulling her along. "That's a good reason for anyone to be nervous, I'd say."

"They've already met you, Al," replied Dana sardonically. "Several times."

"True," Alice admitted with humorous inflection. "But they met me in a friend and not girlfriend capacity. There's a difference in how you gauge someone based on whether or not your kid is boinking them."

"I can't believe you just said boink," Dana laughed, shaking her head. "Who uses that word anymore? What are you? In kindergarten?"

"What's wrong with the word boink? It's a good word!" said Alice, looking offended. "I like how it sounds." When Dana kept laughing, she cleared her throat then sang in a series of almost operatic tones, "Boink... boink boink... boink boink boink... boink!"

"Stop it," Dana wheezed, her eyes tearing up and her lungs almost collapsed from laughter as they reached the porch to the large house.

Accommodating Dana's request and grinning impishly, Alice held the brunette's shaking sides and rubbed them in a comforting gesture. "Feel better?" she murmured, dipping her head to look into bright blue eyes.

"Yeah," breathed Dana shakily, smiling happily at Alice. "I do feel better. Thanks."

"No worries," said Alice kindly.

They remained like that for several moments then unable to resist the temptation, Dana moved forward and captured Alice's lips for a kiss. One that was slow and sensual, taking its time to explore and taste and learn. Causing them to be in the middle of it when the front door opened to once again reveal the form of Sharon Fairbanks.

A loud clearing of the throat and they barely stopped the kiss, looking at Sharon in wide eyed surprise when she said stiffly, "Dinner is getting cold. If you can restrain yourselves then perhaps we might begin eating it." With that, she headed back into the house.

"Oh god," Dana moaned miserably, dropping her head to rest on Alice's shoulder. "Why me? Why us? Just why?"

"Well, look at this way," began Alice, trying her best to find some sort of bright side to the situation. "Dinner won't be boring."

Another miserable moan was Dana's only response.

\---

Strangely, Alice's prediction wasn't right. At first anyway. Dinner had been pleasantly boring to begin with as Irwin discussed the intricacies of the stock market and his improved putting skills on the golf course, then Howie bragged about being the starting forward on the soccer team after complaining about the SATs, but then the spinning wheel of conversation landed on Sharon and the dull small talk came to an end.

"Alice," said Sharon in slow deliberation. "Would you mind if I asked you a question?"

"No, of course not," Alice frowned slightly. "Ask away."

"What happened to the boyfriend you spoke of?" Sharon lifted an eyebrow in a gesture of sedate curiosity.

"Mom!" exclaimed Dana, looking utterly mortified. "Al, you don't have to answer that," she reassured. "Just ignore her, okay? We can leave if you want."

"It's fine, Dane," soothed Alice, smiling at the brunette and squeezing her hand softly. Turning back to Sharon, her smile quirked a little and she replied simply, "We broke up."

"Ah," said Sharon knowingly. She paused then said in a subtle dig, "You do that quite a bit, don't you? Break up with people. Men and women. Dana spoke of your dating habits before she told us about herself."

"What are you trying to say?" asked Alice politely but her voice had a sharp edge of warning.

"You don't appear to possess any lasting emotional attention span," said Sharon, her expression veiled. "I don't want my daughter to end up as yet another name in your book of failed relationships. Or as some type of experiment. I simply won't have it."

"Mom!" Dana exclaimed again, this time rising to her feet as she did so. Scowling deeply, she pulled Alice up with her and said, "I can't believe you're doing this!"

"Doing what?" asked Sharon staidly, looking at Dana. Her eyes dragged over to Alice and she said, "I want to know what her intentions are, that's all. You've spoken enough about her that I know her character, darling. Is it so wrong for me to want to hear it from Alice herself?"

"What do you want to hear?" asked Alice quietly, staring Sharon down. "You want to hear that I only like girls? Or that being bisexual is a cop out? That there's no such thing? Or maybe that I'm the one who converted your daughter over to the evil gay lifestyle?" Sharon didn't reply and silently met Alice's gaze as she finished in soft yet powerful tones, "Or do you want me to promise to never hurt Dana? I can't do that last one, no matter how much I want to. I can tell you that I love her though. I love her more than anybody I've had in my life, male or female. I can tell you that for sure." Brown eyes gleamed and Alice murmured, "Is that what you want to hear? If not, then that's too bad because it's the truth." Turning to Dana and smiling tenderly, she said, "Do you still want to go?"

"Definitely," said Dana tightly, giving her mother a final glare before pulling Alice out of the dining room and then the house.

The large house was silent except for the echoing bang of the front doors slamming shut. Sharon winced at the sound as she closed her eyes. Watching her carefully, both Irwin and Howie wondered if she got what she wanted, and if it was worth the obvious price.

\---

"I can't believe her!" Dana ranted in aggravated tones, waving her hands wildly about while she stomped towards her car. "Asking you about your boyfriend and being all... all..." Unable to find the word she wanted, Dana released a strangled combination of a yell and growl.

"Dane, calm down, it's all right," soothed Alice, frowning in worry and trying to fight the amusement she found at the sight of her girlfriend ranting. Though she knew she shouldn't, part of her always found Dana's emotional episodes a strange turn on. Maybe it was because they revealed the clear depth of her emotions. Or maybe it was because Dana was damn cute when ranting. "She was just being a mom."

"Just being a mom," repeated Dana, looking at Alice as if she was insane.

"Yeah, she was just being a mom," Alice replied, rolling her eyes and mocking Dana's echoing of her words. "Come on," she sighed, holding her hand out. "Give me the keys. You're way too worked up to drive."

"Mothers don't insult the girlfriends of their children," grumbled Dana, handing over the keys. 

"Of course they do," drawled Alice, unlocking the car and hopping into the driver's side. "They just don't do it in such an obvious manner. Your mother needs to work on her subtly if she wants to properly insult me."

"Al," groaned Dana, thumping her head back into the seat as the blonde backed the car up. "Don't make jokes about this. She was horrible to you. That's not funny."

"She wasn't horrible to me," replied Alice reasonably. Hearing the snort of disbelief from the brunette, she sighed and sorted through her thoughts before she said finally, "I wish I had a mother like yours."

The car was silent and if she wasn't trying to get onto the freeway, Alice would've turned to Dana just to see the stupefied look she was sure was on her face. Instead, she focused on the road as Dana said dryly, "You hit your head harder on the ceiling of the car than I thought, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't," Alice chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't have brain damage, Dane. And seriously, I mean that... my mother doesn't really care about what's going on in my life. I mean, she would never ask you the stuff Sharon just asked me."

"Which is a good thing," said Dana, who sounded as if she was trying to explain physics to a three year old.

"Not really," said Alice wryly. "Your mother asked me that stuff because she loves you, Dana. She wants to make sure her daughter isn't hurt. That's all that was about. Just her giving me the traditional parental warning of 'don't hurt my kid or I'll kick your ass'."

Silence again and Alice heard Dana murmur in amazement, "You're right." The blonde smiled warmly at this and couldn't help but laugh when Dana added peevishly, "But she didn't have to be so mean to you while doing it."

"Well, I'll give you that," said Alice warmly, looking to Dana and smiling at her. "But come on... today wasn't all bad. Now I've got great mother-in-law material to use on air."

"Oh god," groaned Dana, thumping her head again.

\---

Lara opened the door to the sight of Dana and much to her relief, she wasn't crying this time. But she did look rather worried and slightly grim. Frowning a bit, Lara stepped to one side as she said, "Come in, Dana." 

"Thanks," said Dana, nervously stepping into the threshold of the apartment and darting her eyes around as if looking for a monster that could be lurking around any corner.

"What's up?" asked Lara, sinking down onto her couch and peering up at Dana who remained standing in front of her.

"Lara... I've... god," Dana muttered, running her fingers agitatedly through her wavy brown hair. "Okay," she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, calming herself. Something that made Lara's frown deepen as Dana blurted out in a rush, "Gabby Deveaux is an evil bitch who broke Alice's heart more times than I can count and I think she'll do the same to you."

Staring at Dana wide eyed, Lara asked in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"You're dating Gabby Deveaux, aren't you?" asked Dana, hoping desperately that maybe somehow Alice had been wrong and Lara wasn't involved with the she-devil.

"I am," said Lara slowly, still looking confused. "Why are you calling her names, Dana? That's just... well," Lara gave a bemused laugh. "That's just not like you."

"I called her that because that's what she is," said Dana firmly. Sitting down on the couch, she bit her bottom lip nervously then said, "For almost five years now she's been Alice's on and off girlfriend. They get together, they break up, then they do the same thing over again. And each time they break up it's always for the same reason. Gabby cheated Alice. She cheated on her and she treated her like she was less than nothing," Dana muttered in dark tones, her jaw clenching tightly. Lara was taken aback by the vehemence in the brunette's tone and expression but relaxed on seeing blue eyes look at her with gentle compassion. "I don't want her to do the same thing to you, Lara."

"Dana," said Lara with a sigh. "I appreciate that you're worried about me but I'm a big girl."

"But--" Dana began to protest only to be cut off by Lara smiling warmly and pressing a finger against her lips.

"I understand what you're doing with this, Dana. I really do but it wasn't necessary." Lara formed a wry expression and continued, "I've already been warned by more than enough people. Some have even gone so far to warn me about Gabby with Gabby standing right next to me. So," Lara drawled and her green eyes glowed with amusement. "Thanks for the warning but I've already received it. More times than I can probably count."

Forming a frown on having her words thrown back at her, Dana tilted her head and sighed. "It doesn't matter, does it?" she asked sadly, looking away from Lara. "You're like Al. She never listened to me about Gabby either." Rising to her feet, Dana growled lowly, "What is it about her anyway, huh? What the hell does she have that makes people think it's okay for her to treat them like crap?" Whirling around to face Lara, she started to rant more but stopped when she saw the redhead staring at her in something close to shock. She had never seen Dana in an aggressive emotional state before, having only experienced the soft and sad side of her emotions, not the violent turmoil she could often produce just as easily. "I'm sorry," Dana muttered. "I should get going... I'm meeting Alice for lunch. She said its got something to do with family. Maybe it's her mother again."

"Dana," murmured Lara worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Dana in frustration, clenching and unclenching her hands. She took a deep breath and looked to Lara as she smiled fondly but sadly at her. "Be careful with Gabby, all right? I don't want you to get hurt. That's the only reason I came barging in here like this."

"I know," Lara returned the smile, standing up and clasping Dana's hands. "I know that and I appreciate it, Dana. Really I do but I honestly think Gabby's changed. I've heard so many stories from so many people," she released an incredulous laugh and rolled her eyes. "God, all the stories!" Looking back to Dana, she continued, "And I still want to give her a chance. That's my choice." She paused and seemed to be considering something before she said quietly, "Just like it was my choice to take you back after what happened with that Subaru dinner when we were dating."

Flinching at this, Dana looked away from Lara and replied, "I understand."

"Good," said Lara, sounding thoroughly relieved.

"I should get going," Dana mumbled, heading to the door with Lara trailing after. "I shouldn't be late... Alice might need me."

"Dana?" called Lara, voice laced with concern. When the brunette paused at the front door, she then said, "What about us? You know, as friends? Are we okay?"

The tennis player's shoulders tensed for a moment then relaxed as Dana faced Lara and smiled wanly. "Yeah," she murmured, appearing somewhat defeated. "Sure."

Staring at the closed door to her apartment, Lara's frown returned when she realized that Dana hadn't said that they were friends. It was a verbal exclusion that Lara couldn't discern was on purpose or not.

\---

If there was one thing that Alice truly hated it was waiting. She supposed that had something to do with how she was raised and the fact that waiting never led to anything good. For instance, when she first went to live with her mother after her father's death Alice waited to eat her lunch because Lenore said she would be home soon and they would eat together.

Alice went without lunch for nine hours that day.

From that point on, she learned that if she wanted something then she should take care of it herself. This way of living worked but as a result it made her entirely impatient.

Sick of the waiting and wanting to take her mind off of it, Alice reached for the gold ornate salt and pepper shakers sitting in front of her. Fiddling with them, she wondered why exactly they needed to be gold. This was a nice restaurant, sure, and yeah it dealt with high end clientele but did they really need to be gold? Wouldn't silver or brass work just as well? They were only salt and pepper shakers, after all.

"The folly of the rich," murmured Alice wisely, clunking the salt shaker side to side and making it do a strange dance. Reaching for the pepper shaker with her right hand, she did the same thing before releasing a sigh and plunking them both to a dancing stop.

She really did hate waiting.

Frowning in irritation and resting her gaze on the salt and pepper shakers, Alice's lips quirked up and she chuckled. "Maybe I should practice what I need to say," she drawled, reaching for the salt and pepper shakers again.

Arranging the shakers so they were facing each other, Alice cleared her throat and tipped the pepper shaker forward to move it as if it were speaking. "Why did you ask me here, Alice?" she said in snooty tones.

Clearing her throat again, Alice used her normal voice as she bobbed the salt shaker. "I wanted to talk to you about your relationship with your daughter, Sharon," she said reasonably.

"That's right! My daughter," Alice said in snooty tones, thumping the pepper shaker onto the table in an aggravated motion that made some pepper fly out of it and onto the table. "Dana is my daughter so don't you dare presume to tell me about her."

"I'm not presuming anything," the salt shaker rocked slightly side to side. "I just want to talk to you about her, that's all."

A pause and then the pepper shaker bobbed in a less aggressive movement, sliding closer to salt shaker. "And why is that precisely?"

The sound of a throat clearing that definitely was not her own stopped Alice from having the salt shaker make its reply. Reluctantly lifting her head, Alice gulped as she met the dryly amused gaze of Sharon Fairbanks. Her dark blue eyes glowed in a dark sort of humor that made her all the more intimidating. Per usual, she was dressed in an elegant women's suit, this one by Kay Unger, featuring a sleek silk copper jacket and a brown laced skirt. The clothing perfectly accentuated her tanned skin and blonde hair, making her look every inch a lady.

Something that, to be honest, had always intimated Alice when it came to Sharon. Thanks to her upbringing with her mother she hadn't really known many actual ladies. Oh hell. She just didn't know any at all. At least, not until she found herself pursued by Bette Porter in her early twenties, that is. Bette's cultured air and perfectly polished manners had both frightened and excited Alice horribly back then. Then she found out they were nothing but Bette's way of protecting herself emotionally and by the time she worked that out, they were pretty much finished as a couple. Though she couldn't ever be sure of it, Alice thought that Bette never meant for them to work out romantically. She figured that the art director pursued her on a whim, finding her attractive at that particular moment and acting on it.

Not like it mattered now. She had Dana and Bette... well, maybe Bette had Tina. Though Alice couldn't really worry about that at the moment because Sharon was sitting down and looking at her with an expectant expression.

"Sharon," squeaked Alice, releasing a cough to clear her throat and hopefully bring her voice back to its natural octave. "Good to see you."

"Do you always play with your kitchen wear?" asked Sharon in droll tones, a small smile tugging on her features. It seemed as if the woman couldn't quite help finding Alice's antics endearing.

"Sometimes," Alice admitted and she blushed, forming a sheepish expression as she rubbed the back of her head. "I do interviews a lot and I got into this habit... to make sure I got them right, because you only get one chance at an interview, you know? Anyway," she babbled on, getting irritated with herself for getting totally off topic from what she meant this lunch to be about. She couldn't help it though. Sharon honestly did make her nervous. "I would practice the interviews and use stuff to act it out. Like, well," Alice reached for the salt shaker to move it to side to side a bit. "Although, sometimes I do hand puppets."

"Hand puppets?" echoed Sharon, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah," said Alice as she bobbed her head quickly. Acting instinctively, she lifted her hands and made each of them form a little mouth as they faced each other. While doing this, she flashed back to the day she had done the very same thing with Dana. The time she hadn't been practicing for an interview and was instead trying to help the tennis player work up the courage to come out to her parents. Something that Alice felt she had truly made worse for Dana with her horrible 'I have a boyfriend' line. The guilt she still had over her actions that day was part of the reason she arranged this meeting with Sharon in the first place. Breaking out of these thoughts, the blonde proceeded to visually explain her use of hand puppets. "Hi Sharon. How are you?" Alice had her left hand puppet say. "I'm fine Alice. But why are we here?" she had her right hand puppet reply. Sharon didn't respond and continued to look at her with a deadpan expression. Laughing nervously, Alice dropped her hands into her lap. "So..."

"Why are we here, Alice?" Sharon questioned finally. Apparently the salt and pepper shakers and hand puppets held very little long term interest for her. She wanted to get right to the point of their meeting. "You would only say it was about Dana. Well," she locked eyes with Alice and wore a look of significance. "What about Dana exactly? I would like to know since I do have a natural interest in my daughter's life. Whether she would choose to believe that or not."

Releasing a sigh, Alice closed her eyes and ran through her thoughts quickly. It looked like she would have to get right to the point and hope that somehow Sharon would hear what she was saying. "Dana's good at hiding things," Alice murmured, opening her eyes and resting her gaze on Sharon. Showing her everything she could with that look. All of the love, all of the concern, all of the understanding she had for Dana. "She's been hiding who she was since she was sixteen. Do you know she fell in love at tennis camp?" Alice revealed quietly.

"She did," said Sharon dimly, looking rather lost on hearing this. Her mouth opened briefly only to immediately shut and she averted her eyes from Alice, looking across the restaurant.

"You want to know who it was?" asked Alice kindly, her tones holding just a hint of knowing in them. "Dana calls her Ralph, since apparently the person in question is somewhat famous and still in the closet. She was Dana's camp counselor." When Sharon whipped her head towards Alice at this remark, the blonde chuckled and held up her hands in a pacifying motion. "Don't freak, okay? She was only seventeen. It wasn't anything wrong on a statutory level."

"Just on a religious and social one," snapped Sharon in response.

"You really think that?" Alice inquired soft and curious. When Sharon looked to her she leaned forward, resting her chin in the palm of her hand to peer at the older woman. "Dana told me you guys only go to church on Christmas and Easter. She even said that sometimes you would forget or just not go." A smile quirked on her lips and she drawled, "Like the time you didn't go because she decided to hide all of Howie's Easter candy as payback for him wrecking her new tennis racket." Her smile widened as she observed Sharon release an affectionate laugh while her eyes glowed with happiness at the memory. "Did you ever find where she hid his chocolate bunny? Because Dana totally forgot... that's why she didn't tell you. She wasn't being a brat, she honestly couldn't remember where she hid it."

"Irwin found it seven months later in tucked into the right shoe of his old pair of golfing cleats," revealed Sharon, chuckling at both the incident and the scrunched up look of disgust on Alice's face. "It wasn't really that dreadful. She had left it in the original wrapping, after all. Of course, by then it was completely inedible."

Smiling warmly, Alice murmured, "Dana's the same now as she was back then, Sharon. She's still the daughter you know and love. Nothing has changed except now you know more about her life than you did before. And isn't that a good thing?" questioned Alice soft but powerful, scooting forward to capture Sharon's gaze with her own. "Don't you want to know more about your daughter's life? That's what it seems like to me. In fact, I think what you're most upset about is that you don't know what's going on with Dana's life. Sharon," Alice said the name forcefully, gripping the woman's hand when she tried to move her gaze away. Once blue eyes that were heart tuggingly similar to Dana's settled on her, Alice went on, "The only reason Dana isn't telling you things like that is because she thinks you don't want to know."

A brief flash of pain seized Sharon's blue eyes then it dulled into a sheen of polite detachment as she replied, "If that is what Dana chooses to believe then what can I do?"

"She's not choosing to believe anything, Sharon," said Alice, her voice showing a hint of the frustration she was feeling. "It's what she honestly feels. If she could choose how she feels then don't you think she'd want to feel like she did when she was little? That you loved her no matter what and you were proud of her?" Pausing to gather her thoughts, Alice unwrapped the silverware from the fancy linen napkin they were hidden inside. Rolling the spoon out of the napkin, Alice said softly, "What makes it horrible for Dana is that she knows what it's like to have a mother who loves her unconditionally, you know? A mother who cares for her more than herself. I never had that growing up or just... ever. I mean, I had my dad but he died when I was a kid and my mother was busy with her TV show and movies. I don't know what it's like to miss having a mother like that, a mother who comforts and nurtures and teaches. I don't know what that's like but Dana does. And she misses it, Sharon." Lifting her head to look at Sharon with entreating brown eyes, Alice murmured, "She misses you. She misses her mother."

Sharon released a tiny cry of sadness and bit her bottom lip in such a way that Alice immediately knew where Dana got that mannerism from. Then she said hoarsely, her tone laced with unshed tears, "I miss her too... I miss my daughter."

"Why not tell her that?" asked Alice quietly.

"She doesn't want to hear it," Sharon muttered, sounding almost self loathing. She then pulled Alice's linen napkin over to her and began to expertly refold it in the complex origami shape that it had once been. "I've tried to explain to her the reasons I disapprove of the life she's been leading but she's never allowed me to finish. So in actuality," she chuckled wryly and continued folding. "That means I've never explained anything."

Silence and then Alice said encouragingly, "Explain to me."

Looking to Alice with a good deal of skepticism, Sharon gave in when she saw nothing but an honest desire for the truth. Focusing back on the napkin folding, she murmured, "I know personally how cruel people can be when they discover you're different. How the ones you thought you knew best can turn on you as easily as a dime. Those who show any sign of weakness will always be the ones who are hurt in this world." Pausing in her folding to look up and lock eyes with the journalist, she repeated solemnly, "Always."

"What does that have to do with Dana being gay?" asked Alice who was truly feeling confused at this point. "I mean, I do agree with the point you just made but I don't see how they link up."

"Being different, not fitting into the mold that people love to form for one another is seen as a sign of weakness, my dear," said Sharon with sad determination. She had finished refolding Alice's napkin to perfection and carefully placed it in front of the blonde then continued talking. "I experienced just a taste of that in my youth and I swore when I had both my children that they would never have to go through anything of the same. That's why I don't want this life for Dana. I know what it will bring for her. All the rejection, the hurt, the cruelty." Sharon swallowed visibly then said in soft shaky tones, "I don't want that for my child. What mother would?"

"You want to protect her," summarized Alice and when Sharon looked up at her in surprise, she smiled. "I can get that. Really I can but don't you think it's a little late for that now? Dana's out and there's no way she can go back in again. The Subaru and Fila endorsements kind of make that impossible even if she wanted to, which I know for sure she doesn't. That being said," Alice tilted her head and regarded Sharon with a veiled gaze. "What's left to protect her from? The acceptance of her own mother?"

"I should've known you wouldn't understand," muttered Sharon under her breath, reaching for her purse and starting to rise from the table only to be stopped by Alice gripping her wrist. She shook her arm and when the journalist wouldn't release her hold, she said in exasperation, "Would you please let go? I have no desire to make a public spectacle out of myself."

"The only person that's hurting Dana with their rejection is you," Alice pronounced in quiet and entirely grim tones. "And for her it's so much worse because as sensitive and sweet as Dana is what other people think doesn't really matter that much to her when it all comes down to it. She gets upset over it, yeah, but the hurt will pass and eventually fade completely away. That's not going to happen with you, Sharon. Because you're her mother and you matter more than anyone else in the world." Letting her hand slip away from Sharon's wrist, Alice looked at the figure approaching their table then focused back on the older woman to give her final plea. "Dana just wants to know you love her," she murmured. "That's all she's ever wanted."

"Mom," Dana's surprised voice floated over them. "What are you doing here?" As soon as she said this, her eyes fixed onto Alice and narrowed slightly. "I thought you said what was going on with lunch was about your family, Al."

"It is," said Alice simply, reaching up to thread the fingers of her right hand with Dana's. She then turned to Sharon and repeated the action with her left hand. Pulling both of the standing women forward and to the table, Alice peered up at them with a heartfelt brown gaze. "This is my family." She paused to smile soft and sweetly, kissing Dana's hand lightly and focusing solely on the tennis player now. "You're my family."

Dana's eyes became teary at this and she instinctively dipped her head to capture Alice's lips for a loving kiss. When they parted there was a moment of utter peace then Dana jerked her head up when she recalled just who was there with them. But upon looking at her mother she didn't see the barely hidden disapproval that always floated in her dark blue eyes and on regal features. Instead she saw love and acceptance. She saw her mother looking at her like she had when she was a little girl and she won her first tennis tournament. Smiling at her caring and proud, making Dana feel like she could do anything because her mother believed in her.

Her mother loved her.

Moving towards Dana with a purposeful stride, Sharon stopped in front of her daughter and winced at how she automatically backed away. How had it gotten this bad? Sharon didn't know and she wasn't sure she ever wanted to. Not that it really mattered now. Things would be different from this moment on, that much Sharon had decided because she knew she couldn't live with Dana looking at her like that again. Small, hurt, vulnerable and so very afraid.

Cautiously reaching out to cup Dana's face in her hands, wiping the tears away that were just starting to fall, Sharon moved close and whispered tenderly, "I love you, Dana."

"Mom," Dana cried more than said it.

In moments, Sharon wrapped Dana up in a hug and watching them with a beaming smile Alice couldn't help but humorously note that Sharon no longer seemed to mind the idea of making a spectacle of herself. Then again, she couldn't really call this a spectacle. No, Alice thought, smiling still as the hug went on.

This was a mother and her daughter. Nothing more and nothing less. Simple as that was, it was also achingly beautiful. Almost as much as both Fairbanks women when they parted and looked down at her with matching faces so alight with happiness they could outshine the sun.

"If you two are done I was thinking maybe we could order food," Alice offered with sardonic humor, not wanting either of them to get embarrassed as they realized there were other people intruding on their private moment simply because they were in a public area. "I think my stomach is starting to eat itself as a form of retaliation."

A pair of menus whapped Alice playfully on the top of her head in a joint action, leading the scowling journalist to discover that there were a wide variety of things that Dana had picked up from Sharon. Feisty habits included.

\---

"Now you're a man! A manny manny--"

SMACK!

The loud blare of purposely obnoxious music ended as just as abruptly as it began when Dana lowered her hand to hit the cd player alarm that resided on the nearby nightstand. With that done, she returned to the warm feel of skin on skin as she rested herself on Alice's pale back.

"It'll take us forever to hear the whole song, won't it?" Alice sleepily mumbled, shifting and studying Dana with an affectionate lidded gaze. She managed a lazy pout as she drawled, "And I want to hear him sing the part about big titties."

"Pervert," accused Dana, chuckling as she deposited a kiss onto Alice's shoulder blades while she slid further down her body, hands exploring along the way.

"Takes one to know one, Miss Look Where My Hands and Kisses Are Headed," teased Alice, making reference to the current path Dana was traveling across her body.

"I can stop at any time, you know," Dana remarked, kissing the small of Alice's back and sliding back up to rest her chin on Alice's shoulder, placing their faces side by side.

Grinning happily, Alice squirmed until she finally was on her back and Dana remained on top of her, arms folded over Alice's chest her face propped up on them. Then she playfully grabbed Dana's nose in the same manner she had seen Dana use with Howie so recently and drawled, "But you don't want to stop, do you?"

"Leb bo by bose," uttered Dana nasally and somewhat irritably.

"What's the magic word?" prompted Alice, who soon released a high pitched squeal of delight when Dana put to work her athletic abilities and freed her nose from its captor to then tickle the blonde fiercely. Lying on her side, her lungs collapsed with laughter, she breathed shakily, "Stop... I'll be good... I promise."

"Like I believe that," scoffed Dana, pressing against Alice's back and embracing her. It was then that she finally gave the alarm clock an actual look and noticed the time. "Shit," she muttered as she dropped her head onto Alice's shoulder morosely. "I told Mike I'd meet him at the club at nine a.m. and it's almost eight thirty." Moaning lowly, Dana buried her face in Alice's neck and breathed in the light scent of her shampoo. "I don't want to go."

Peering back at Dana and lightly tangling her fingers in brown hair, massaging the athlete's scalp gently as she did so, Alice murmured, "Then take the day off. It's Sunday anyway. I don't think Mike would really care."

"I shouldn't," came Dana's muffled reply, staying hidden in the crook of Alice's neck.

Recognizing Dana's tone of voice was the one she used when she wanted someone to talk her out of something she didn't want to do in the first place, Alice cajoled, "Take the day off, baby." When Dana gave another vague muffled protest, she turned in her arms and pressed the tennis player onto the bed. Hovering over the brunette to put their lips just a breath apart, Alice murmured enticingly, "I'll make it worth your while."

Arching an eyebrow in dry amusement as a smile quirked on her lips, Dana said, "Are you trying to bribe me with the promise of sexual favors?"

"Is it working?" Alice purred, moving closer yet.

Pausing to consider the question and wearing an overly contemplative expression, Dana grinned impishly as she looked up at Alice and said, "Yes. I really think it is."

"Then that's exactly what I'm doing," murmured Alice before she smoothly closed the space in between them to capture Dana's lips for a kiss. It was a kiss that let Dana honestly say she had never been so happy to receive a bribe in all her life. 

\---

Clad in their bedtime wear, the couple snuggled on the couch underneath a pair of cotton quilts that had been a recent gift from Sharon. They were currently in the midst of spending their lazy Sunday together. Dana sat at the far end of the couch, her tan legs hidden under a blanket and propped onto the coffee table as she watched a classic tennis match on one of the hundreds of ESPN channels. Alice, in the meantime, had her head in Dana's lap while she read the paper.

"And there's the backhand pass," Dana commented all knowingly, grinning as she watched Bjorn Borg deliver the blow that would lead to his victory against John McEnroe. Playing absently with Alice's messy blonde hair, she sighed and continued to watch one of her favorite matches. "I want to have Borg's on court composure... that's what made him great. No one knew what was going on in his head. He was impossible to read."

"People like your on court personality though," said Alice, skimming through the paper. "That reporter at Tennis Magazine compared you to McEnroe in terms of your on court personas, after all. And look at how popular he was. I think what he said was right, how you both tend to get the crowds invested in your victory because of the way you present yourselves on the court." Alice stopped herself from quoting the article directly but that was something she could do since she had read it enough. It was probably her favorite amongst the many articles she had read over the years when it came to Dana and tennis. The writer had managed to perfectly describe what Alice always found so captivating about Dana when she played the game.

"I hate being compared to McEnroe at any level," groused Dana, staring at the TV and willing Bjorn to make that winning shot already. "Granted, yes, he was a great player. Probably better than I will ever be but he was also a spoiled brat who threw fits whenever he didn't get his way. That kind of thing insults the sport. Please don't compare me to him."

Lowering the paper and peering at Dana to see the frustrated set of her jaw, Alice touched it lightly. When blue eyes met hers, she said softly, "You're right. I shouldn't compare you to other players," she stroked tanned skin. "Not when you're more than good enough on your own." 

Returning the smile, Dana kissed Alice's fingertips tenderly and offered with understated but playful humor, "I wouldn't mind having his left handed serve though."

"What about the curly fro?" asked Alice impishly, nodding towards the TV and the ridiculously poofy permed hair the tennis player had during the 80's. "Would you mind having that?"

"Dork," Dana chuckled and tapped Alice's nose before returning her attention to the match.

They went back to companionable silence for some time with Dana watching her match and Alice reading her paper. Then Alice sprang to life, squirming on Dana's lap and reaching for the remote control to pause the Tivo, freezing Bjorn and John in the middle of their final set. Looking to Alice with a frown, Dana questioned, "What did you do that for?"

"You have to read this, Dane," exclaimed Alice, ignoring Dana's protests and shoving the paper up towards the tennis player. "It's the funniest thing ever."

Frowning still, Dana took the paper and read aloud, "Cops look to SWAT monkey for back up. Send in the SWAT monkey is not an order US police commanders are accustomed to giving but that could soon change. Al," Dana halfway whined, looking down at the grinning blonde. "This is stupid. Do I have to keep reading?"

"Yes, you do! It gets funnier," Alice insisted and she squirmed around in an attempt to get more comfortable in Dana's lap.

"Fine," said Dana, heaving a sigh. Focusing on the paper again, she continued reading, "The police department at Mesa, Arizona, is examining a proposal to train a capuchin monkey for high risk police operations. Special Weapons and Tactics SWAT team veteran Sean Truelove has researched the possibility of landing a ten thousand dollar federal grant to fund a pilot program to train one monkey." Groaning a bit, Dana rolled her eyes and muttered, "That's a great use for tax payer money." When Alice poked lightly at her stomach she went back to reading the article. "Mr. Truelove told a local newspaper the test monkey could be trained to unlock doors and search buildings on command. 'Everybody laughs about it until they really start thinking about it,' Mr. Truelove told the East Valley Tribune." Shaking her head, Dana said dryly, "I'm not laughing. This is too idiotic for me to laugh about." Alice once again poked at her and Dana laughed, ruffling the blonde's hair as she finished reading. "It could change the way we do business. Major city police departments in the United States use paramilitary SWAT teams for hostage situations and in situations involving heavily armed criminals."

Once Dana lowered the paper and looked to her, Alice declared almost huffily, "Come on, Dane! You can't tell me you don't think that's at least a little funny. It's monkeys! On the SWAT team! That's right out of the plot for a Disney movie."

"I think it's disturbing more than anything," remarked Dana, lifting an eyebrow in staid observation. "How do you think someone would feel if they're like... on a roof about to commit suicide and then a monkey in a little black suit drops in on a line and saves them? That's just way too weird to deal with, Al."

"I can't believe you don't see the innate genius that's responsible for SWAT monkeys," Alice pouted as she grumpily folded up the paper and tossed it onto the coffee table. "It's like a brilliant shining example of how self indulged and ridiculous our society has become. Plus," she waved her hands wildly about, now fully into her explanation. "They're SWAT monkeys! And I don't care what anyone says, it totally sounds like a classic Disney movie."

"Maybe," allowed Dana, grinning at Alice affectionately. She always found the journalist to be exceptionally adorable when she was in the middle of one of her complex explanations. "But who would do the voices of the SWAT monkeys? They would have to talk or at least have their thoughts heard in the movie."

Her face a portrait of thoughtful consideration, Alice eventually looked at Dana in smug triumph and declared, "Former cast members of Saturday Night Live who have nothing better to do."

"Ouch," Dana chuckled and winced on the actors behalf. Smiling playfully, she leaned down to put their faces millimeters apart. "That's harsh of you, Al. Really harsh."

Entwining her fingers in Dana's wavy brown hair to pull her down for a kiss, Alice returned the smile and drawled, "I'm a very harsh lady."

"Right," Dana murmured skeptically into the kiss before she deepened it.

Any attempts that Alice might have made to convince Dana she was indeed a harsh lady were soundly overturned by the gentle passion of her kisses and tender caress of her hands. But to be fair, Alice wasn't really trying that hard to convince Dana in the first place. At least not while they were in the midst of kissing.

\---

"And the theme song should be a combination of M.A.S.H. and Rambo," Alice rambled as she unpacked the lunch they had ordered from a local deli. She began to hum an overdramatic melody and continued unpacking. "Then the lyrics would be something like 'SWAT monkeys, falling from the sky, always save those in danger in the nick of time'. You know, something cheesy like that," said Alice in tones that implied she thought this reasoning made the utmost of sense. Wandering past Dana and into the kitchen to retrieve utensils, plates, and other such things Alice called out, "Don't you think so, Dane?"

"Completely," said Dana, raising her voice in agreement, feeling entirely bemused SWAT monkeys had managed to capture Alice's attention for almost two hours now. "That's the perfect type of theme song. No doubt about it."

Watching with fond eyes as Alice returned, balancing plates, utensils, cups, napkins, and a bottle of soda Dana knew she shouldn't be that surprised. One of things that she found to be both charming and frustrating about the blonde was the fact that for an observant person she could be impossibly blind when it came to things that would have been otherwise obvious simply because her focus was placed somewhere else. 

That was how Dana successfully hid her feelings for Alice for years. But if she was to be totally honest, that was just part of how she was able to hide her feelings. The other part was her own fear of rejection and just the idea of losing Alice completely if she told her the truth. 

There had been times where she had been so close to telling Alice how she felt. How she loved her more than she had ever loved anyone. How she had been in love with her for what seemed like forever. How she wanted to be the person to take care of her, the person to love her.

One time had been closer than all the others though.

"Al?" Dana knocked on the door to her friend's apartment then glanced nervously down the hallway. She had been knocking on the door for almost a minute now. When she called the blonde earlier to invite her out for dinner there had been something just off about the way she sounded. Plus there was the fact Alice turned down free food since Dana offered to pay for the meal. That was something she had yet to see the journalist do during the year they had known each other. "Come on, Al. I'm getting worried. Let me in, okay? I just want to know you're all right. That's it, I promise." She swore she heard the sound of movement and decided to make a final desperate try before she resorted to breaking the door down. Or at least finding the building superintendent to unlock it for her. "I brought food."

The doorknob turned and Dana couldn't help forming a victorious expression on seeing this. Something that was immediately wiped away on seeing her friend. Alice's brown eyes that were normally alight and sparkling held a dull ache to them that broke Dana's heart. They were also red, just like her face, and she was wearing a worn blue sweater jacket that looked incredibly comfortable but wasn't fashionable in the least. Something that normally mattered to Alice.

"I don't see any food," said Alice in droll observation. Her tone was an attempt at humor but it fell horribly flat because of the sadness that seemed to fall off her in waves. She turned around to head back into the apartment, leaving the door open for Dana to follow. "Trickery really doesn't suit you, Dane."

"What's going on, Al?" questioned Dana soft and caring, cautiously approaching the blonde who tugged the sweater closer to her body as she hugged herself. "You look bad."

"Gee, you know how to make a girl feel swell about herself, don't you?" Alice laughed wryly, rubbing at her eyes and plopping down on her couch.

Sitting down gingerly next to Alice and feeling horribly inadequate but wanting more than anything to ease the pain her friend was in, Dana reached for the blonde's hand and held it gently. "Please tell me what's wrong," she requested plaintively.

"Nothing is wrong," muttered Alice, averting her eyes and looking at the far side of the apartment. "I didn't feel like going out to dinner. That isn't a secret signal my life is in turmoil, Dana. It just means I don't want to go out to dinner."

Studying Alice silently for a long moment, Dana gave into her instincts and cupped her face in an unbearably kind and careful hold. Treating her much like she was fine china and would shatter at any rough treatment. When Alice was looking at her, she lifted her chin until their eyes met and she murmured, "Let me help. I know I'm not good at this kind of thing... I've never had any real friends before. At least, not for a long time but I think I do now and that's because of you. Please, Al," Dana uttered her heartfelt plea. "Let me help you. Tell me what's wrong."

"It's stupid. No, I'm stupid," Alice scoffed under her breath, relaxing into Dana's arms, falling forward to rest her face in the crook of the tennis player's neck. At this gesture, the brunette leaned back into the couch, wrapping Alice up for a comforting embrace. "You know the girl I've been seeing? Gabby Deveaux?"

"Yeah," said Dana kindly, prompting the journalist to go on. 

She vaguely recalled the woman Alice was referring to. They met maybe once and she hadn't been that impressed with her. In fact, she had been a little bit annoyed. There was something about Gabby that Dana had found utterly insulting. But she seemed to make Alice happy and that was all that mattered to Dana. Mostly because that was all she cared about. Though she did wish secretly she could be the one who made Alice smile and look forward to a new day. That would never happen though because she was too scared to tell Alice the truth.

Scared to tell her that she was in love with her.

"Bette told me she saw her at Girlbar the other night with Nadia Meirtschin and they were basically all over each other," said Alice, her voice muffled as she hid against Dana's neck. "And of course I was like, 'no way not my woman' and so on to Bette. Because Gabby and I... I don't know, Dane. I can't explain it. She gets me, you know? I don't really have that a lot. People like me, sure, but understand me?" Alice released a snort of skeptical humor. "That almost never happens. But yesterday after our date, I was in her apartment and she was in the bathroom and I couldn't help it... I looked around for signs of Nadia Meirtschin sexcapades. Not that I would even know what to look for. Anyway, I didn't have time for that because the phone rings and I ask Gabby if she wants me to answer it, she says let the machine get it, so I do. Then I hear Nadia as she leaves Gabby a message..."

The words trailed off into silence and Dana allowed this, guessing that Alice needed the time to sort her thoughts until she felt the wet drop of tears falling onto her skin. Looking down at the blonde cradled in her arms, Dana swore she felt her felt her heart break. "Oh Al," she uttered in desperate sadness, pressing a kiss to the top of her blonde hair. "I'm sorry... please don't cry. Don't cry over Gabby fucking Deveaux. She's not good enough for you. Honestly."

"You're right that I shouldn't cry," Alice muttered finally, sounding thoroughly embarrassed as she pulled away from Dana and rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hands. "Just like Gabby was right when she tried to explain to me. She did have a point in saying we've only been dating three months and I never told her we were exclusive. I only assumed that we were and there's that stupid joke about what that makes you and me."

"God, Al, no," said Dana quickly, horrified at the sudden change. Taking Alice's hands in her own and ducking her head down to meet their eyes, she said fervently, "That's not what I meant! I meant Gabby's not worth wasting your tears on. You deserve so much better from the person you're with." She started to move forward but hesitated only to start slowly back up again as she tenderly stroked the pale features in front of her. "You deserve the best. Someone who really loves you and would rather die than hurt you like that."

"Yeah?" laughed Alice wryly, rubbing her eyes. "And where am I going to find someone like that? You tell me because I'm having no luck finding them and I sure don't see anyone lining up and waiting for me."

Staring at Alice, the woman she possibly loved since the day they first met, the woman she knew she loved since three months two days six hours and forty two minutes ago, Dana tried to work up the courage to say the words. To say she was that person. That she would rather die than hurt Alice like Gabby had done, that she wanted to hold her to take the pain away, that she dreamed of what it would be like to kiss her, that she felt faint at the mere idea of making love to her.

Dana opened her mouth and a knock sounded at the door.

They turned to stare at it together and they continued staring when another knock sounded as Gabby's irritated voice floated in the air, "Open the door, Alice. I want to talk to you."

"Gabby?" Alice murmured in something akin to shock, rising mechanically to her feet and towards the door. 

This sudden turn of events left Dana stupefied and trying to figure out what to do next. She didn't have much time to consider her options because Alice was opening the door and Gabby was walking into the room. Stopping her walk only when seeing Dana to then narrow her eyes.

"What's she doing here?" asked Gabby in a quiet demand.

"She was checking on me, that's all," said Alice. She was quick to explain Dana's presence, making the tennis player wince in the process. The blonde started to say something but stopped and looking away from Gabby, she murmured, "What are you doing here, Gabby?"

"I'm checking on you, that's all," Gabby repeated Alice's answer in alluring and playful tones, sidling up to the journalist. She pushed blonde hair aside and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I wanted to make sure you understood everything about Nadia. She means nothing to me, Alice. It was only sex with her. What you and I have is more than that. You mean so much more to me than her, baby. You know that, don't you?" When Alice released a soundless gasp at the press of Gabby's lips against her skin, she chuckled. "You can feel that, don't you? I know you can." 

Frozen and disbelieving, Dana watched in front of her eyes as Gabby turned it all around. How she made her betrayal about Alice and her needless insecurities. Making her think she should have known, should have done something to stop Gabby's actions or at least understood them. That this was somehow Alice's fault.

It made Dana sick to her stomach.

And it still didn't prepare her for Gabby's final blow. The path of kisses she left along Alice's neck to stop on her jaw as she murmured in low enticing tones, "If you ask your little friend to leave I can show you how much you mean to me, baby. Wouldn't you like that?"

She would never forget the look in Alice's eyes that day. The apologetic and silent pleading gaze that asked her to go along with what Gabby was asking, what she was asking, and the obvious fear over what would happen if Dana refused. 

That look was why Dana left without telling Alice she was in love with her. But it wasn't why she continued to keep silent, even after Gabby and Alice finally broke up. No, her own fear was behind that and not Alice's. The fear that she would never be good enough for the journalist as a lover and a partner.

After all, she hadn't been good enough as a friend. She let Alice go back to Gabby when she knew... she knew how horrible she was. Surely that meant that she didn't deserve Alice. The blonde deserved someone better than her. Someone brave and kind and open who could shout from the rooftops how they felt for Alice. That was something she could never do while residing comfortably in her closet.

But she could look after Alice. She could be a friend and she could take care of her until that person came along and when they did she could step aside and push her feelings deep down until it was as if they never existed.

She could do that.

Coming to this conclusion as she stood in the hallway to Alice's apartment building, staring at the door Gabby had just closed, Dana confessed in a broken whisper, "I'm waiting. I love you."

And then she turned and walked away.

The thump of a grape hitting Dana in between her eyes brought her back to reality and scowling playfully at Alice who she saw was armed with another grape, she said, "What was that for?"

"Going into a self induced coma to avoid giving me feedback about the brilliant screenplay project that is SWAT monkeys by Disney isn't an acceptable action," declared Alice, flicking another grape at Dana. One that the tennis player easily avoided, making Alice narrow her eyes in determination as she drawled, "Oh I see. You're getting all pro athlete on me, huh? That's all right. I have a whole bag of grapes to assault you with."

The food fight that soon ensued wiped away any sadness Dana might have had from remembering the most significant entry on her countless list of lost opportunities. Well, not so much the food fight but the fact that whipped cream ended up being involved with it. And the loss of clothing.

\---

What Dana probably enjoyed most about finally being with Alice romantically was that she got to see a side to the blonde that no one else did. They had been friends so long that she somehow thought she knew pretty much all there was to know about the journalist. 

But oh... she was incredibly wrong, that much Dana knew for certain as she observed Alice snuggling further into her body, sinking into her arms and pulling the quilt up higher so it rested just underneath her nose all while keeping her eyes firmly planted on the TV screen. 

Alice was apparently very afraid of horror movies.

Something that Dana found both entirely endearing and incredibly pleasing as it led to Alice placing next to no room between their bodies as they lay curled together on the couch watching the all night horror movie marathon. Currently being played was The Exorcist and though she knew she shouldn't, Dana couldn't wait for Linda Blair's head to start spinning around because she knew the reaction from Alice would probably lead to an enjoyable experience for herself.

At times Dana could be rather evil that way.

Lost in her own thoughts, Dana wasn't sure what exactly had occurred on screen but it was scary enough to Alice for her to yank the quilt up over her head and press her face into Dana's breasts in the midst of her hiding.

Evil or no, how on Earth could anyone possibly expect Dana not to enjoy that?

But evil as she might be, Dana wasn't evil enough that she didn't want to comfort and reassure any of her girlfriend's irrational yet very cute fears. Especially if it meant not having much room between her body and Alice's. That's why she slid down the couch and lifted up the quilt to duck her head underneath it in order to comfortably reside there with Alice.

"Boo," said Dana impishly as she peered into Alice's eyes.

Groaning miserably, Alice dropped her head onto Dana's chest and lightly pinched her sides. "Don't laugh," she halfway pouted and whined. "I hate scary movies. They've always freaked me out like this since I was a little kid."

"Why is that?" Dana asked in a curious murmur, sifting through Alice's messy blonde hair and playing with the strands. Though she would loathe to admit it, she was kind of enjoying being underneath the quilt like this with Alice. It reminded her strangely of playing forts with Howie when she was younger. 

"My mom was never around much and this one time, when I was nine, she was out of town for some sort of promotion for her TV show and Nelson and Jolene just decided to, I dunno, not be home either. So I was left alone, right?" Alice sighed wearily at the memory. "And like most kids that age I got all excited by the idea of staying up late and watching stuff that I wasn't supposed to. That meant turning on an all night horror movie marathon like the one playing now."

"You got scared, huh?" murmured Dana in quiet understanding, thinking about how she would've felt in that situation. Though it was a bit hard considering her parents would never had allowed such a thing to occur. But she had a slight idea. "And there wasn't anyone around."

"Not a soul, to use a horror movie pun," said Alice humorously, her fingers slipping under Dana's 'Tennis Anyone' t-shirt to absently stroke tanned skin. "I ended up watching the entire movie marathon. Fifteen straight hours of scary images burned into my tiny brain to torture me endlessly later in life."

There was silence, well, except for the TV and The Exorcist playing in the background and then Dana said with just a touch of gentle humor, "Why didn't you just turn the TV off?"

"The remote control was broken," Alice muttered, sounding muffled as she squirmed into the athlete's embrace and proceeded to hide there.

"So?" Dana frowned, genuinely confused. There were numerous ways of turning off a TV without using a remote control.

"So I was too scared to get up off the couch to turn off the TV," replied Alice, sounding both muffled and inordinately embarrassed about revealing this particular fact.

Silence again except for the TV and The Exorcist playing and then Dana broke into sputtering laughter that she really wished she could stop but somehow couldn't. While she laughed, Alice scowled and pinched her sides again until the tennis player's laughter faded into wheezes and slight pained yelps at the pinching that was continuing to go on.

"It's not funny," said Alice peevishly, still scowling. "Do you know I had to hold my pee for like thirteen hours? It was a miracle my bladder didn't explode or something."

Though she didn't think it possible, Dana burst into a more extreme fit of laughter and her sides got exposed to an almost torturous form of pinching as a result. When she finally calmed down and body relaxed into an aching mass from laughter and pinching, Dana peered at a quietly pouting Alice and smiled tenderly as she cupped her face.

"I'm sorry for laughing," murmured Dana, gently lifting Alice's head to meet their eyes. Sliding her hands down to cup the blonde's rear, she pulled her up closer so their faces were a breath apart. "I love that you told me that because I know you haven't told anyone else, have you?"

"No," muttered Alice, ducking her head and hiding it under Dana's chin. She poked the athlete's side as she continued, "I didn't want to hear anyone pitch a laughing fit like you just did."

Pressing a kiss onto Alice's messy blonde hair, Dana remarked thoughtfully, "I don't know why I laughed. I guess maybe because it doesn't seem like you but now..." She trailed off and nudged Alice with her chin, making the journalist move back to look up at her. When she did, Dana smiled softly and caressed the side of her face. "Well, now it does and I'm glad I know that. I'm glad I know parts of you nobody else does because it's all I've ever wanted, you know?" Pulling Alice up to meet their lips for a kiss, she murmured against them, "You're all I've ever wanted."

Sinking into the kiss with astonishing ease, Alice observed Dana with dark and glowing eyes, clear in their desire, and said in a playful intonation, "Is that right? Does that mean you would want to help me feel safe? Protect me all hero like from the big bad movie that's playing and so on?"

"Of course," drawled Dana, smiling. "Just tell me what you want me to do."

Sliding up Dana's body to put their faces only a slight movement away from kissing, Alice purred, "Turn off the TV."

"And then?" prompted Dana, lifting an eyebrow expectantly.

"And then," Alice drawled as she smiled sensuously. She then expertly slipped her leg in between Dana's to create a greater and more delightful friction for their bodies while she whispered in her ear, "We go to the bedroom."

Two seconds for the TV to be turned off. Five seconds for them to untangle from the quilt. Three seconds for them to make it into the bedroom. Fifty seven seconds for them to get naked. Ten thousand and eight hundred seconds for them to finish making love. All of this was time definitely well spent.

\---

Dana woke up to the feeling of kisses on her abdomen and hands caressing the length of her sides. In a fumbled and sleepy motion, she touched the messy blonde head responsible for the kisses that were already moving lower.

They pressed onto her skin, further intoxicating her jumbled senses. Tantalizing and soft, following an aimless path over tanned skin, kissing it as if it were a map to be memorized. A definite warmth spreading in her belly, Dana arched up off the bed. Releasing a low groan and indecipherable mumble as hands, firm in their desire and purpose, pushed her legs apart.

The blankets had long been removed because of late night tossing and turning, leaving a drowsy Dana with a clear view of Alice sliding down to settle in between her thighs. For what seemed like an eternity but was most likely seconds, Alice remained utterly motionless and the only thing touching Dana's quickly overheated pussy was the tickle of the journalist's breath.

But then expert hands gripped her hips and held the athlete's quivering body steady as a tongue spread her open for the first long lick. A shuddering gasp escaped Dana and encouraged Alice on. Licking and kissing the outer folds with languid and detailed attention, making sure no part of Dana was ignored. Just as the tennis player didn't know if she could withstand such exquisite torture, Alice's tongue slid inside, pressing insistent and deep.

Thrusting in and out, varying tempo, pressure, and style. A simple push to a curling lick and a side to side motion, making Dana cry aloud from pleasure when combined with the nip of teeth.

When Dana's body was flush with desire, trembling and lost to the sensations, became the moment Alice stopped. Tongue sliding out, leaving the brunette whimpering in protest, clumsy hands reaching to press against the journalist's head and plead for her return. Another whimper sounded as Dana felt Alice smile against her sex and blow a puff of air, causing the athlete's hips to instinctively rise at the contact.

Carefully untangling Dana's fingers from her hair, Alice lifted up to tenderly kiss the palm of each hand. Entwining her left hand with Dana's, she stretched upwards to rest her length onto the tennis player. Fingertips of her right hand teasing and raking down the tan body to rest at the edge of Dana's pussy, toying with the folds. Until the brunette, made desperate for real contact, reached with her free hand to aid Alice's entrance into her.

An amused chuckle vaguely resonated in Dana's mind but that didn't matter. No, what mattered was the fact that Alice was finally inside of her and she was thrusting deep, hard, and unmerciful. Not letting up in her pace, speed, and strength while her thumb played over the athlete's clit. Rubbing and stroking the throbbing flesh as she continued to slide in and out.

Climax came like Alice's fingers, hard and fast, overwhelming Dana and leaving her blissfully exhausted as she sank back onto the bed. Able only to groan quietly at the loss when talented fingers slipped out of her and she felt the press of traditional kisses on her tanned thighs.

Setting eyes on Alice's face for the first time that morning, Dana smiled, tired but so incredibly happy, and cupped a pale cheek. Moving to kiss Dana lightly, the journalist revealed an impish expression and twinkling gaze.

"Good morning," pronounced Alice with loving affection.

Absently rearranging blonde hair so it no longer obscured Alice's perfect features, Dana returned the smile with luminescent beauty. "Good is an understatement," she declared, her voice low and husky. Blue eyes glowed adoringly and she observed Alice, studying her carefully while busying herself with the attempt to tame unkempt locks she herself had helped to make so messy. "What brought that on?"

Lidded eyes closed in a languid motion and when they opened, Alice smiled sweetly. Reaching out to lightly trace a path over Dana's bottom lip, she said in a simple reply, "I love you."

Sucking the finger into her mouth to kiss it reverently upon exit, Dana watched Alice with attentive eyes. "That's it?" she asked, a hint of skepticism being shown. She didn't doubt the truth of Alice's words but instead wanted to ensure nothing troubling caused the sudden and powerful display of devotion on the blonde's part. "Are you sure?"

"Isn't that enough?" teased Alice, moving to nuzzle Dana's face. Murmuring against her lips for a kiss, "I love you and I wanted to show you." They kissed, sensual and slow, taking time to savor the taste and feel of one another, parting with sighs. Alice settled into the crook of Dana's neck, releasing a noise of contentment when the brunette pulled her close. Smiling into tanned skin, Alice added, "Plus I had a feeling you might like that kind of wake up call."

"Oh, I liked it," Dana chuckled in reassurance. "I thought for a few seconds I might die from how much I liked it but yes, I definitely liked it."

"Good," said Alice in satisfied tones, snuggling into Dana and sounding rather like a proud soldier who had just completed a successful mission.

Resting in Dana's arms, hiding in her embrace, washed away in her love, Alice tried to fight against the guilt already taking hold. The guilt that led to her urgent need to show Dana in the most effective way she knew just how much she loved her.

Guilt caused from who she planned on seeing later that day.

\---

If there was something that Alice didn't understand it was the habit large and traditionally evil corporations had of building their headquarters out of shiny and reflexive glass materials. Didn't they take any consideration into the idea that those who throw stones shouldn't live in glass houses? Or in their case it would go something like: Those who throw stones at poor common people shouldn't live in shiny and reflexive glass headquarters that could be easily smashed apart with baseball bats.

Not that Alice had a baseball bat.

Walking into the shiny and reflexive glass building, fast becoming annoyed with the click click sound her high heels made against the marble floor, Alice stared at the large circular reception kiosk in the middle of the lobby. Taking a calming breath that didn't actually help calm her at all, Alice started a walk over to the kiosk positive that the click click of her heels would announce her presence before she herself could.

The turning of a dark head and the feeling of bright blue eyes, sharp and sparkling in their intelligence, burning their gaze onto her confirmed Alice's suspicions. Deciding to try another not so calming breath, she formed a smile that was supposed to be confident but was more wavering and hesitant. She hated this, truly hated this. Why was it the case of nerves she always got around this woman never seemed to go away?

Years of knowing each other and thirteen break ups and countless arguments should have made her immune by now. But no, the nerves remained. God, did that suck.

Stopping in front of the kiosk, Alice looked around somewhat anxiously, staring at the passing business people and avoiding the gaze of the very person she had come to see. At least, she did that until an amused drawl said, "I'm sorry. Do you have an appointment? Because no one is allowed in the building without an appointment." Jumping in slight panic at the formal wording, Alice settled her gaze on Gabby who smirked and lifted an eyebrow humorously. "Unless you're here for a special reason, that is. Go on and tell me, Alice," she slowly stood to lean across the counter, putting them face to face. "Are you here for a special reason?"

Nibbling on her bottom lip and wondering why she decided to come, Alice averted her eyes to focus on the opulent fountain in the lobby that for some reason had naked statues of cherubs. "I wanted to thank you for the other night," she muttered, staring at the fountain.

"Did you know that your tennis player issued a warning to Lara about innocent little me? Apparently she's none too fond of me due to our past incursions," commented Gabby, tilting her head until her face was blocking the fountain and Alice had to look at her. When Alice ducked her head for a tiny nod and turned red, Gabby chuckled. "Well, aren't you just the cutest thing? You're smitten by her butch protectiveness and have gone all Chicken Soup for the Lesbian Soul over this girl, haven't you?" The smirk fading away, Gabby said in sharp tones laced with impatience, "As cute as I do find that, do me a favor and tell her to butt the hell out of my personal life. Especially since it doesn't involve you who, unless her miniscule athlete brain has forgotten, is her current girlfriend. Not Lara. She does know that, right?"

"Yes, she knows that," said Alice, through clenched teeth, glaring hard at Gabby and deciding to do away with any pretence of politeness. "Unlike you, Dana cares about people and their feelings. She doesn't want to see Lara get fucked over by you like I went through I don't know how many times during the endless joke that was our 'relationship'. But I guess that won't happen with Lara because now you're Gabby Deveaux: In love," Alice said the last part with the melodramatic tones of a voice over actor and formed air quotes.

There was a pause of silence and then a phone rang, making Gabby sit back down to answer it before routing it to the proper office. Once that was completed, she returned to her former position, leaning on the kiosk counter and peering into Alice's eyes with an introspective expression. Then she formed a slow smile and declared, "Don't be bitchy." Laughing in delight as she said this, she flicked Alice lightly in between the eyes with her index finger. "You know I've always wanted to have a title. I will confess that the old of me would've far preferred to be Gabby Deveaux: Overpaid screenwriter."

"The old you, huh?" Alice said skeptically. "Is that your veiled way of implying Lara has made you into a different woman?" Giving into her snarky instincts and slight desire to use more funny voices, she intoned dramatically with hand gestures, "The power of love has magically transformed you into someone who does all of the things she used to mock. Like having one on one dates and treating the person you're fucking with a modicum of respect." Pale blue eyes flashed at Alice in perhaps warning but she ignored it and went on, "Or do you not call it fucking anymore? Is it making love?"

Tilting her head in thoughtful consideration, Gabby replied in level tones, "You're definitely being bitchy. Do you want to tell me why that is, Alice? You aren't feeling jealous are you? Not when you have your butch Chicken Soup tennis player."

"Don't talk to me about soup," muttered Alice peevishly under her breath. "You're the one who's dating the soup chef, not me."

"Alice," said Gabby her name in what seemed to be a combination of exasperation and perhaps, shockingly enough, concern. "What's this about?" An entirely naughty expression formed on her features and she purred enticingly, "Don't tell me that you've suddenly decided you want me now that you can't have me." 

Having no idea Gabby was simply reiterating her own present state of mind, Alice blanched and waved her hands in a hurried motion. "No!" she declared strongly. "No, I love Dana." 

"Then do an emotional simpleton a favor and inform her just what this is all about," said Gabby sardonically, studying Alice's reaction closely. 

"I don't get it, all right?" Alice spat out, looking away from Gabby and once again staring at the naked cherub fountain. "I don't get why you've suddenly changed. I mean, how many times have we dated over how many years? And not once did you change even a little bit despite your promises otherwise." Trailing off into silence, Alice then added bitterly, "I guess I'm curious to know why Lara got you to change and not me. Because I tried enough." Peeking up to meet Gabby's solemn blue gaze, she murmured, "And maybe I never loved you like I love Dana but I did care, you know? And there's no way you didn't know that."

"Alice," Gabby said her name with such genuine feeling that the blonde couldn't stop herself from looking at her. When she did, the brunette smiled softly and tugged Alice forward by the front pocket of her button up shirt. After she did this and there was hardly any space between them, Gabby rose up and whispered in Alice's ear, "Because I wasn't ready when I was with you. I always planned to change, to get serious and treat you right once I got my bullshit intimacy problems taken care of but by that time... well," she chuckled and pulled back to arch an eyebrow significantly. "Who are you with?"

"Dana," breathed Alice, a look of awareness taking hold.

"Any other questions?" questioned Gabby in dry amusement, tilting her head. 

The phone rang before Alice could reply and while Gabby was busy answering it, the journalist seized the opportunity to exit the building. Simply because she wasn't sure what else she could possibly say to Gabby as the brunette's revelation had left her more than a little stunned.

When Gabby transferred the call and saw that she was alone, though she was disappointed she couldn't help but also feel a twinge of pride. Her plan was working. If it wasn't why would Alice come to see her and ask such things? Yes, the plan was indeed working.

And that was what really mattered. Not the fact she wasn't sure if she wanted the plan to work because of her increasing closeness to Lara and her shifting emotions. No, that needed to be forgotten and shoved away. The plan mattered.

At least, that's what Gabby told herself.

\---

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!

"Shuddup," Dana mumbled, partially asleep as she whapped her hand on the nightstand and fumbled about looking for her cordless phone. When she located the shrill ringing monstrosity she answered it with a bleary, "Dana Fairbanks."

"Dana, it's already four thirty a.m.," Tonya's voice, laced with what seemed to be annoyance, though Dana's sleep addled brain could hardly tell, filled her ear. "Don't tell me you're not up yet? I'm coming by with the limo to pick you up at five and then we're heading to the airport."

"But the flight leaves at eight," Dana managed to whine, groaning and rubbing her eyes. She looked to her left and saw Alice had pulled the covers over her head in an attempt to block out her phone conversation with Tonya and keep sleeping. "Why do we need to leave so early?"

"A number of reasons, Dana," responded Tonya in utmost professional ease. "Traffic, airport security, fans slowing us down for autographs, that and several other options are why we need to leave early. You don't want to miss your flight causing you to then miss the cruise, do you?"

"No," grumbled Dana, sounding similar to a scolded child. She was beginning to wake up and that was why she remembered a few details she had forgotten to tell Tonya earlier. "We can't go right to the airport from my house. I told Shane and them we'd pick them up at their place since they live next to Bette and she's watching Marshmallow for us."

There was a slight sigh then Tonya replied, "I guess it's good I decided to call and check on you. That's fine, Dana. I'll be at your place with the limo at five on the dot. Please be ready?"

"Yeah, no problem," Dana said in mumbled agreement. She hung up the phone and lay motionless for several moments, trying to work up the energy to get out of bed and change. Though it was very difficult. Especially when Alice poked her head out from under the covers and snuggled onto her body, resting her head on her chest. Playing with chaotic blonde locks thoroughly stuck in the throws of bed head, Dana groaned, "I don't wanna get up."

"What did Tonya want?" asked Alice in lethargic tones.

"She wanted to tell us she's coming by in a half an hour to take us to the airport," said Dana, absently pressing her hand down on Alice's head to see if it would cause the locks of hair to lower. It wasn't working because every time she would lift her hand the hair would spring back up like messy hair magic. "I told her we needed to pick up Shane and them plus drop off Marshmallow with Bette. I can't be sure but I think maybe she was pissed at me."

"Her perkiness throws me off," Alice revealed, squirming around and peering up at Dana with lidded brown eyes. "I get her emotions, right? I can tell when she's happy or sad and all that but she's so fucking perky that's all I end up noticing." Resuming her former position, she said, "It's wrong that someone can manage to be pissed off and perky at the same time."

"Perky overpowers all other emotions," said Dana solemnly, pressing her hand down on Alice's hair and grinning as it sprang back up, thoroughly enjoying her new game.

Dana kept playing the game until Alice looked at her and noticed just what she was occupied with doing. "Stop messing with my hair," she ordered in not at all threatening tones. Waving uselessly to try and stop Dana from pressing down on her gravity defying head of hair. "I don't mess with you in the morning."

"Oh yeah?" asked Dana skeptically. "Then what exactly do you call the specialized morning wake up you gave me the other day?"

"A present," Alice mumbled, reaching down to grab the blanket and pull it over her head, blocking it from Dana's touch. Muffled as she spoke, she added, "An I love you present."

"Is that right?" Dana chuckled.

"That's right," came Alice's blanket muffled reply. 

Pausing to consider this, Dana smiled and slid down the bed and ducked underneath the covers to lock their eyes. "I want to give you a present," she announced. Moving up to kiss the line of Alice's neck, she murmured in her ear, "Do you want to get a present?"

Tender kisses on her neck accompanied by light sucking prevented Alice from giving any response other than a gasp of pleasure. In a smooth movement, Dana flipped her over to press her onto the soft mattress of the bed. Pushing the white tank top up and over Alice's head, she shoved it aside with the blankets, allowing a cool rush of air to fall over them.

Warm hands, the exact opposite of the air, burned on Alice's skin, tracing down her sides in a knowing caress. The rough and wet path of Dana's tongue painted across pale skin, circling pink nipples before returning for a slight suck and attentive kisses. Shifting her attention from one breast to the other while warm hands rested at the apex of Alice's thighs to slip under the hem of her blue boy cut panties. 

Peering up at Alice and smiling slowly, Dana said in husky tones, "I didn't hear you give an answer, Al." When the blonde lifted her head in a confused motion to look at her, she drawled, "Do you want to get a present?"

Yanking Dana up by the collar of her shirt, Alice pulled her close for a searing kiss that soon had their tongues battling for dominance. When they parted with groans from them both, she replied, "What do you think?"

"I think we both should get presents," said Dana, looking rather proud of her answer and making Alice roll her eyes humorously before meeting their lips for another kiss. 

DING DING!

DING DING!

Frozen in midkiss, the couple moved together to look through the open doorway to Dana's bedroom as if they could see downstairs and past the door to who was standing at it ringing what Alice declared to be a defective doorbell since it went ding ding and not ding dong. 

"It can't be five," said Dana with a good deal of disbelief, whipping her gaze over to the alarm clock which, to her chagrin, flashed an electronic 5:00 a.m. at her.

Accepting that reality was making an ugly entrance into their sex life and putting it on pause as of that moment, Alice decided to get ready for the airport by rolling off the bed with a thump. Sitting on the floor, she pulled the clothes she laid out for herself last night down to her and proceeded to put on her bra. Once she had the bra on, she stood to her feet, hastily pulled up her jeans and wandered out of the room while pulling a worn t-shirt over her head.

"I'll go talk with the Ton Ton," Alice called absently, waving backwards to Dana. "You get dressed and locate Poofy, okay?"

Flopping onto her back, resting her arm over her eyes in a gesture she had seen Alice do countless times herself, Dana grumbled, "But I wanted to give you a present."

\---

Upon arriving at Shane and Jenny's, they were relieved to find all present had the same sleep afflicted condition plaguing them. Bleary eyed and cursed with massive bed head, they wore a mismatch of comfortable clothing that was startling to see just because normally they dressed fashionably. Well, fashionably according to their tastes, that is.

Dressed the most differently was Carmen who wore Shane's gray Unabomber hoodie, matching oversized jogging pants, and a pair of pink flip flops. She had her head resting on Shane's shoulder and watched those around her with a glazed half lidded stare.

Something that was a far cry from Jenny who, standing up perfectly straight, looked to be doing an impersonation of a statue she was so motionless. Except that she also appeared to be sleeping. And while statues do stand up they really don't sleep. 

In the meantime, Dana gave Bette detailed specifics on how to care for Marshmallow Kitty who slept in her arms. Bette, for the record, didn't match her friends tired and unfashionable appearance. Mostly because she remained in her satin pajamas. In fact, the only person who was wide awake and dressed immaculately was Tonya who had long given up trying to hurry Dana along and was instead going through the tennis player's itinerary on her palm pilot.

"Feed him three times a day, in these increments. I do half chicken wet then half turkey dry because he seems to like that best," Dana rattled her instructions off, pointing at the various notes she had made on the list. "Don't forget, all right? Marshmallow's not like Mr. P, he won't let you know when he's hungry or if he doesn't like the food. He's too quiet for that, he just won't eat at all and that really isn't good. What else?" Dana's brow furrowed and she flipped to the second page of her list. "Oh! His favorite toy is the rainbow squeaky mouse Al got him but he likes to hide it under the couch cushions and--

"Dana," interrupted Bette in fond but weary affection for the athlete as she blinked her eyes to try and wake up fully. "I have your list, I have your cell phone number, I have the cruise ship number, and most importantly I have Tina's promise to come check on me daily to monitor my care of the Marshmallow." She formed a sweet smile and patted Dana's cheek then leaned in to say in a mock whisper, "All will be well."

Biting her bottom lip and looking apprehensive, Dana released a sigh and carefully handed Marshmallow Kitty over to Bette. "Okay," she said quietly.

"I'll take good care of him, I promise," reassured Bette, smiling at the fluffy kitten who remained sleeping as she took him into her arms.

"I put his stuff on the kitchen table, Bette," informed Alice through a yawn, wandering over to Dana and wrapping an arm around her waist. On hearing her voice, Marshmallow Kitty's ears perked up and he opened his eyes to peer at Alice. Grinning at this, the blonde rubbed his head affectionately and said, "Behave for your Aunt Bette, Poofy." For a response, the kitten licked her palm and laughing through another yawn, Alice looked to Bette and said, "Watch him. He's a charmer."

"I'll make sure he doesn't have any girlfriends over late," Bette replied with somber humor.

"Be good," Dana murmured into the kitten's head, smiling sadly and moving backwards.

As if sensing that Dana was heading in the general direction of the limo, Tonya's head whipped up from her palm pilot and she flashed a glittering smile. "Are we ready to go then, Dana? Because we do have a schedule to keep." She stepped to one side and opened the door to the limo while she went on, "Don't worry about your clothes. We have a layover and I'm sure I can wrangle the VIP Suite into being empty so you can change."

"That's cool," Carmen noted groggily, not really noticing the comment was directed at Dana alone, dimly trailing after Shane who tugged her over to the limo. "I can't believe I'm actually going to a public place wearing jogging pants and flip flops."

"I think you look sexy," rumbled Shane, focusing her most charismatic smile in the other woman's direction and kissing the top of her hand for good measure.

"Casanova," said Carmen into a kiss as they climbed inside the limo.

Alice and Dana soon followed which left only Tonya and Jenny. The latter hadn't moved the tiniest bit and the former was studying her with a veiled gaze of contemplation. There was just the sound of birds chirping and the four women inside the limo peered through the open door to watch Tonya approach the motionless Jenny. She stopped just a breath away from the skinny brunette and then lifted a hand to hold it in front of Jenny's face. And then?

Then Tonya, with the utmost of ease and smooth practice, snapped her fingers loudly three times and in a zig zag motion. "Wake up!" she announced. 

Like magic, or a bad joke, Jenny's stormy eyes popped open and studying Tonya languidly, she asked, "Are we there yet?"

Staring at Jenny for a long moment, Tonya shook her head and hooked their arms to lead her over to the limo. "No," she chuckled as she pulled the writer inside. "But I wish we were."

\---

Unusual as it might seem, the plane flight several hours long had helped liven the group of friends or at the very least, wake them up. Of course, it did help that Tonya was as good as her word and wrangled them the VIP Suite in the airport along with some much needed refreshing showers. Now they were settled in yet another limo, on route to the Olivia cruise listening with increasing admiration for Tonya's managerial skills as she ran through Dana's itinerary.

"Once we board, you have three hours to yourself and then at six o'clock you'll have a meet and greet with the captain, just to say hi," Tonya murmured, looking up at Dana who nodded at her. Looking back to her palm pilot and tapping on it, she continued, "You and Alice will be eating at his table, seating starts at seven so don't be late..."

"Where will you be?" asked Dana, frowning.

Waving her right hand that held a stylus, Tonya replied, "Wining and dining the Olivia cruise reps, of course. By the time this cruise is over I plan on having a host of related promotions they'll be begging for you to be a part of." She tapped on the palm pilot and said absently, "Do me a favor and tell me if you're not enjoying yourself, Dana. My job as your Manager is to make you money and ensure your professional success. I can hardly do that if I have you involved in events you loathe being a part of."

"Tell Tonya if the cruise sucks, you guys," Alice interpreted, chuckling and forming an innocent expression when Tonya stared at her with a deadpan expression.

"Exactly," said Tonya as she pointed the stylus at Alice. Looking back to the palm pilot, she said, "That's the only thing that will be going on tonight. Tomorrow morning, however, you'll have the first of your five panels, Dana. This one is a general meet and greet which should be fairly tame. That's happening at nine a.m. and then you'll be free until one p.m. which is when I have you booked for an autograph session."

"That's a big gap of time," noted Shane, arching an eyebrow.

"It's on purpose," Tonya answered rather carelessly, tapping at her palm pilot still. "I did it to give Dana time with Alice." Before anyone could reply, Tonya went on, "I tried to give Dana gaps between all of her obligations so she would have free time for herself. I think I planned it well. The only problem," she intoned these words darkly and her jaw clenched slightly. "Would be the fans. This isn't like normal celebrity events, there's constant intermingling which means they have countless opportunities to approach Dana. It is foreseeable that they could suck away whatever personal time I've allotted, no matter how well I've planned."

"Oh come on," said Carmen, laughing. "They can't be that bad."

Dragging her gaze away from her palm pilot, Tonya stared Carmen down and said in staid response, "They can. Trust me on that." The limo came to a halt and instantly, Tonya's mood shifted and smiling brightly, she declared, "We've arrived!"

The women moved together to peer out the limo windows at the large ship and Alice whistled appreciatively. "Wow," she said, grinning as she looked to Dana. "That is one big boat."

Staring at the ship and lost in her various nightmarish scenarios about it sinking due to paranoia ingrained from her father's total lack of traveling adventure, Dana muttered, "The bigger the boat the faster it sinks." 

Following Tonya out of the limo and taking Dana's hand in her own, Alice tugged the brunette to her so they were standing not a breath apart off to one side of the vehicle as to not block their friends exit. "Aren't we morbid?" she drawled. Alice smiled mischievously then slid forward to sing softly in Dana's ear, "Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you." Nudging the athlete, she encouraged playfully, "Your turn."

Unable to help being just a little amused, Dana rolled her eyes and pulled back to finish the lyric half heartedly, "That is how I know you go on."

"Far across the distance and spaces between us," Alice kept singing, grinning wide and swinging Dana's hands in her own as she walked backwards to the ship. "You have come to show you go on. Near, far, wherever you are..." She waved her hands expressively about ala Celine Dion and gained the attention of several other boarding passengers.

Twelve of which were women dressed entirely in bad Hawaii print shorts who grinned at Alice and sang with her, "I believe that the heart does go on."

Laughing in delight that strangers were willing to play her game, Alice spun to walk next to Dana, grinning happily when the tennis player slung an arm over her shoulders. "Once more you open the door," she looked to her right at Shane who had on her 'I'm way too cool for this kind of crap' expression and poked her in the side. "Take it, Shane!"

"I refuse," stated Shane, staring Alice down.

"You're no fun," said Alice, pouting then ducking around Shane to look at Carmen. "Then will you take it, Carmen?"

"I will," laughed Carmen, ruffling Shane's already haphazard locks then continuing with the song in husky tones, "And you're here in my heart." Finished singing, Carmen kissed Shane's cheek who found herself blushing against her will and hating her fair skin.

Glancing around to see their sing along had attracted more ship goers, Alice waved her hands in a perfect Celine impersonation and declared, "Everybody!"

"And my heart will go on and on," sang the amused voices of around thirty women who suddenly found the long wait to board the ship not quite so boring after all.

"Love can touch us one time," Alice sang, letting Dana pull her closer yet while they slowly made their way to the ship. "And last for a lifetime. And never go till we're gone." Seeing Jenny jogging to catch up wearing that cute expression of utter glee she sometimes had, she called out to her, "Your turn, Jenny!"

Storm blue eyes going wide, Jenny froze and stared at Alice then said rather sheepishly, "I don't know the next lyric."

"I do," offered a tall blonde with a glittering smile. She peered over at Alice and said, "Does the ringmaster care if I lend a hand?"

"This is a public singing session," said Alice, waving at the blonde. "By all means, help my lyric ignorant friend. I'm sure she won't mind. Right, Jenny?"

"No, not at all," said Jenny, wearing a sweet smile.

"Good," the blonde grinned and leaned in to murmur in Jenny's ear. Once she pulled back, she said, "Ready then?"

"Ready," Jenny nodded and they paused for a moment then sang together, "Love was when I loved you. One true time I hold to. In my life we'll always go on."

"Near, far, wherever you are," Alice went back to singing the lead vocals and reveling in the fact she now had around fifty or more strangers invested in her random silliness. It was now up to fifty as the singing had grown louder and attracted more curious boarding passengers. "I believe that the heart does go on. Once more you open the door. And you're here in my heart... everybody again!" she announced.

"And my heart will go on and on," the boarding women sang loud and proud and perhaps more than a little off key at that.

"There is some love that will not go away," offered up Dana shyly, ducking her head down to hide against Alice's neck who grinned in happy surprise at her impromptu singing. 

"You're here, there's nothing I fear," sang Alice, turning around to face the crowd of women playing her game which might have been around sixty to seventy at this point. They were at the edge of finally boarding the ship which would bring their fun to an effective end. "And I know that my heart will go on. We'll stay forever this way. You are safe in my heart. Andddd," she drew the word out and gestured expressively. "Everybody all together now!"

"My heart will go on and on," sixty or seventy complete strangers sang together all wearing almost the exact same expression of giddy enjoyment.

The final lyric sung, Alice clapped and cupping her hands over her mouth, she proclaimed, "Good job people! Now lets board this boat and pray it won't sink!"

Appearing from out of nowhere amidst the hoots and laughter from the women involved with the sing along, Tonya smoothly moved past Alice to look at her in amusement. "Trips are never boring with you, are they, Alice?" she asked in droll tones.

"I do my best to entertain," said Alice impishly.

"Like monkeys after a banana," Tonya chuckled, disappearing into the ship and leaving Alice frowning thoughtfully behind.

Looking to Dana who wore a matching frown on her tanned features, Alice bumped their hips and drawled, "You think she meant--"

"No, Al," Dana groaned loudly, grabbing the journalist's hand and pulling her inside the ship to effectively end the conversation before it started. "Tonya did not mean SWAT monkeys."

\---

When Tonya was right, Tonya was right, thought Alice wearily, flopping down on the sadly underused bed in the suite she shared with Dana and staring at the ceiling. They were on the third day of the cruise and despite Tonya's immaculate planning, her prediction about the fans sucking away what free time the tennis player had was entirely correct.

She had just left after waiting around futilely for more than an hour for Dana to escape the crowd of fans still waiting for her attention after an autograph session of all things. It wasn't that she was jealous or anything like that. I mean, she was used to this sort of thing because of her mother but Alice did wish she could spend a little more time with Dana.

In fact...

Sitting up on the bed and doing some math in her head, a knock sounded on her door just as she muttered, "Fuck." Looking towards it and trying not to work up the hope it was Dana sans her keys, Alice called, "It's open!"

Big hair and big breasts were the first thing Alice saw and that meant it was certainly not Dana. No, instead it was the person she had been seeing the most of so far: Tonya. Who, strangely enough, wasn't really getting on Alice's nerves the slightest bit. Maybe that was because she was the only person trying to help her see Dana. Even if the fans foiled most of the attempts.

"Hey Ton," said Alice absently.

"Your forehead is wrinkled and your mouth is frowned," observed Tonya, studying Alice with knowing eyes. "Why is that? Do we have a problem?"

"Not really, unless you count me adding up the time that's passed since I was alone with Dana and it being more than twenty four hours a problem," drawled Alice sardonically.

"I hate fans," Tonya hissed and sank down into a nearby chair. "I will acknowledge that I used to be among their numbers but at least I had a goal for my encounters, you know. I didn't stalk people to ask inane questions like: boxers or briefs?" 

"When's her next panel?" asked Alice, flopping back on the bed and trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her time. Well, what she wanted to do with her time other than be alone with Dana because that apparently wasn't happening.

"An hour," said Tonya with a sigh. "Would you like me to scare them off? I can make a statement about her being tired and we can get her out of there as soon as it's done."

"No," Alice groaned miserably. "I don't want you to do that. I mean, this sucks, yeah, but it's totally part of Dana's job. If I go and do something like that... I don't know. I have a feeling the fans would find out and resent me or whatever. Besides, I know Dana likes talking with them. Even if they're kind of keeping her away from me at the moment. I dunno. I guess I'll take Shane up on her offer to go swimming then stop by the panel with them. We can go back to that when it's over if Dana's swamped by people again."

A long pause of silence caused Alice to look curiously at the other woman who wore an expression of subdued admiration as she murmured, "I couldn't do that."

"What?" asked Alice, blinking in confusion. "Go swimming?"

"Share her," said Tonya, meeting Alice's eyes for a steady gaze. "We don't discuss my past with Dana and by all means, I wish that trend to continue. But I do want you to know that I could never do what you're doing right now and I think that, more than anything, shows how good you are for her in the long term status of her life."

"Thanks," said Alice wryly, not quite sure where the complement was coming from but truly believing Tonya was honest in what she was saying. "The thing is though... I'm not really sharing her. They don't know Dana, these fans of hers. Sure they might think they do by quizzing her and watching her and who knows what else but they don't, not really." A soft smile formed and Alice got lost in thinking about the things she found most endearing in the tennis player. "They don't know the little stuff that ends up making that big picture. You know, like how she refuses to toast her bread and has to broil it or how she gets homesick on the second day of any tournament, even if it is just a different city in California." Shrugging her shoulders, Alice finished, "It's hard to get mad when I think on how I get to see a side to Dana they never will. And I guess it's also like what you said, I'm there long term. What do they have? Just this cruise most likely. Let them have their time with her." A naughty smile spreading on her face, Alice drawled, "I'll trap her alone with me for a week once we hit dry land."

"I'm sure she'll like that," Tonya chuckled, rising to her feet. "I guess I'll see you at the panel in an hour." She studied Alice closely and murmured, "Are you sure you don't want me to scare them off?" A slightly evil smile formed and she clucked her tongue. "I am extremely talented at it, I'll have you know."

"Oh, I know," laughed Alice, shaking a finger at Tonya. "And don't you dare. They'll just blame me for it and create little blonde Dana Fairbanks girlfriend effigies to burn."

"God," Tonya rolled her eyes. "I'm stuck on that woman who actually had the nerve to ask about my engagement to Dana ending and her 'whirlwind' romance with you beginning while both of us were clearly sitting in the audience."

"I know," said Alice irritably, her nose wrinkling in distaste. "I said I don't mind the fans, okay? But her I mind. And not just because she was wearing a pink tank top three sizes too small with black and blue plaid shorts. Though that is good reason."

"Plaid is evil," declared Tonya as if it were an absolute truth. Heading out the door, she said, "I'll see you at the panel in an hour then. If that woman is there, I should at least be allowed to scare her away from Dana. Give me that."

"Scare away!" shouted Alice, grinning as Tonya gave her a backwards thumbs up.

\---

A little red and white polka dotted bikini.

That was the only thing registering in Dana's mind for entire length of what seemed to be her hundredth panel but she knew in reality was only her third. That and the little red and white polka dotted bikini was currently all Alice was wearing. That and the bikini was wet, clinging to the blonde's body perfectly outlining her curves. That and also the fact she hadn't been alone with girlfriend in who knows how long. That and she really, really, really wanted to kiss Alice along with doing some other more graphic things.

For Dana, it was the panel that never ends and people just kept asking questions and questions as if they were her friends. She wasn't quite sure how she got through it because Alice and her wet bikini coupled with not being able to be alone with her girlfriend had frozen the athlete's brain. Then there was the fact that despite the panels having different topics the same questions kept being asked over and over again.

Dana thought she might scream if another woman asked in a teasing way if they could either date/kiss/marry/have sex with her before the cruise was over. In a strange way she was starting to understand what it was like to be Shane when the hair stylist was in the throws of her multiple dating frenzy and wanted certain girls to leave her alone but they just wouldn't.

The problem for her was that she wasn't nowhere as smooth as Shane and had no idea how to nicely blow someone off. Especially when they sort of paid to have their questions answered by you in the first place. 

But who cared about that.

Alice in her bikini, smiling warmly at her, rising to her feet and weaving her way through the crowd. Now that Dana cared about. Particularly since it was currently going on.

"Dana," the words were barely out of Alice's mouth when the tennis player grabbed her by the hand and yanked her forward for a kiss. When they finally parted, she said in dim amazement, "Hello to you too."

"I want to get out of here," Dana murmured in Alice's ear, her hands sliding down her body to rest at her hips. "Do you want to get out of here? Lets get out of here, Al."

"But your fans," Alice half protested, turning to look at the shell shocked women who seemed to be recovering from seeing Dana kiss her and were headed their way.

"Tonya will take care of them," said Dana hastily, looking to her Manager with pleading and desperate eyes. "Won't you?"

"I definitely will," Tonya said with a wide smile, looking very pleased with finally being allow to scare some fans off.

"But--" Alice started to protest again but found herself cut short by Dana tugging her through the sea of women on a mad quest for privacy. 

Thanks to the tennis player's speed and natural athleticism, they easily disappeared into the crowd. They were soon dodging right and left like experts, running hand in hand through the ship. Happy in the way that a small child is when they do something they know they shouldn't but go ahead and do anyway and it becomes that much more fun. Laughing and tumbling around a corner, Dana spotted an opening elevator and gripping Alice's hand firmly, she decided to make a try for it.

Pushing through the slight crowd waiting to board the elevator, Dana pulled Alice inside with enough strength to propel her against the far wall then positioned herself at the entrance, to put each foot at the edge of the doors, thereby blocking any attempts to come inside. Pressing the close button at a rapid pace, Dana could mildly hear the requests for autographs and inappropriate questions about her personal life.

That was of little consequence. The only thing Dana was aware of was that this was the first time she would be alone with Alice in over twenty four hours. She couldn't help but wonder how she'd get through the out of town tournaments if the writer couldn't attend for some reason. Any worries she had vanished the second the elevator doors finally shut.

When they did, Dana slammed down on the emergency stop button and the elevator came to a jerky halt. Then Alice, her voice filled with confusion, said Dana's name hesitantly.

There was silence then Dana turned to reveal an expression of pure need and eyes dark from desire. "Twenty six hours, seventeen minutes and," she paused to glance at her watch. "Forty two seconds." Looking back to Alice who remained pressed against the far wall of the elevator, Dana closed the distance between them. Their lips a tiny movement apart as she said in a low throaty utterance, "That's how long since I've gotten to be alone with you."

"I think you missed me, huh?" Alice laughed nervously because as turned on as she was by this new side to Dana she was also a little nervous about it too. Though it was a good kind of nervous. Similar to how she felt the first time they made love.

"Big understatement," Dana chuckled and dipped her head down to capture Alice's lips for a searing kiss. While she did, one arm wrapped around the blonde's waist to pull them close as the other reached up, allowing a warm hand to cup a full breast through the damp material of her bikini top. When they parted, Dana cupped both breasts in her hands, gazing at them as she murmured, her words thick with passion, "Do you know I couldn't think of anything but you during that whole panel? As soon as I saw you show up in this bikini..." Dana peered at Alice who swallowed visibly at the clear want she saw in dark blue eyes, making the tennis player smile at this reaction. Tracing a finger down between the valley of porcelain breasts, effectively removing the bikini top along the way, Dana held Alice's gaze in a powerful grasp. "I think you were trying to tease me by wearing this, weren't you?"

Shivering at the sensation of the bikini top, still damp from her swim earlier, sliding down her body, Alice's eyes fluttered shut. "Maybe," she allowed, some part of her relishing and wanting the sweet torture of anticipation to go on.

"Maybe," echoed Dana, a slow smile forming. Moving to put their lips millimeters apart, she murmured, "Bad Alice." Then she pulled away to press a lingering kiss onto Alice's collarbone. "Do you want me to show you what you did? What I was thinking of doing to you during that entire panel?" The athlete was crouching, lips on Alice's left hip, her left hand gripping it while her right lay flat against her pussy, resting on the bikini bottom wet from both water and lust. Peering up at Alice, her gaze ardent, she asked in a guttural demand, "Do you?" 

Trembling and swept up in her desire, Alice caressed Dana's tanned features and whispered in a fevered plea, "Yes. God, Dana," she groaned, voice quivering. "Show me."

The blonde watched a smile of satisfaction form and then with an efficient tug of a hand, she felt a rush of cool air against her skin as she was now fully naked. Alice gasped at the feeling and cried softly at the press of Dana's lips, a hinting teasing lick at her pussy, taking a small taste. And then the tennis player rose up, wrapping an confident arm around Alice's waist, pulling her into Dana, away from the wall, leaving the athlete as her only means of support.

"I'll show you," said Dana in a fierce promise, her right hand sliding between them to toy outside Alice's pussy. Slipping in and parting the folds, rubbing her clit, then sliding out of her to trace over fine hairs that were barely present thanks to a very recent waxing. Alice cried out again and Dana whispered, breath tickling her skin, "I'll show you everything."

Dana kissed Alice hard and thorough, tongue seeking entrance, sucking on the journalist's, tasting all she could and returning for more. As if nothing else mattered but pleasing the other woman and perhaps that was true. It felt like that during the panel. Though she had smiled and joked and answered often idiotic questions, Dana hadn't been there for it. She had been here. Making love to Alice, kissing her deep and sliding inside of her, taking all the writer was for her own. Wanting everyone to know, to see, what Alice was to her. That she was Dana's love, her life, her source of happiness, and, my god, the cause of overwhelming passion. 

Feeding on Alice's lips, tugging at them insistent and eager, Dana held the blonde's pussy, soaked with desire and excitement in her hands. Swallowing the entreaties for further contact into the next kiss, Dana sucked on a pink tongue, drawing Alice in deep before she gave in and slipped a single finger inside.

Her other fingers played at the folds, teasing and stroking, leaving light brushes over her clit while Dana kissed Alice still. Kissed her slow and steady and endless. Then she slipped another finger inside, adding to the upstroke, her free arm holding Alice tighter against her body as they rose together.

Their lips parted with a gasp and Alice managed to say breathlessly, "More."

"More what, Al?" asked Dana in a growl, just as breathless but sure and confident in the moment, in her own power.

"More of you," Alice shuddered, head tipping back and moaning as Dana sucked on the now exposed line of her neck. "More fingers, Dana. Please."

It was a request that Dana could hardly refuse. Especially when the word please was part of it. And so, all four fingers thrust into Alice, making her mouth open in a wide 'o' and release what Dana thought could possibly be a growled utterance of the word fuck.

Arm holding firm, keeping Alice close against her, Dana thrust up into the blonde, who arched and moved with her. Both women rising with each motion upward, with each hard thrust, straining together, lifting up to reach the final goal that was Alice's orgasm. The only sound in the elevator was their muted gasps and their bodies sliding together.

Tasting the sweat of Alice's skin, tracing the line of her jaw, Dana said in a rough and desperate request, "Come for me. I want you to come for me."

"Dana," Alice could only whimper, lost in the sensations.

"Come for me, Al," growled Dana insistently, seizing Alice's mouth for a deep kiss. Murmuring against her lips when they parted, "Please baby."

"Dana," said Alice again, gasping and shivering and drowning in the other woman as the orgasm finally seized her and swept her up in a dizzying moment of pure sexual release.

The froze together in the upstroke, pressed impossibly close, Alice's head tipped back, her mouth open in a wordless cry, Dana resting against her face, kissing her cheek, tasting pale skin. Then Alice sank down into Dana's arms, head buried in the crook of her neck, moaning and quivering when fingers slipped out from her body. The tennis player wrapped her up in a tender embrace, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"I love you," murmured Dana through the kiss.

"I love you too," was Alice's faint reply. She remained in Dana's arms, face in the crook of her tanned neck as she said in muffled tones, "No more panels for you and no more bikinis for me. I couldn't survive it." 

Laughing happily, Dana said, "Now you know how I felt after your morning wake up call. You can consider this my revenge."

"This was revenge?" remarked Alice, looking curiously at Dana.

"Oh yeah," Dana drawled, smiling big.

"You're tricky, Fairbanks," said Alice with a scowl, grabbing Dana's nose with her thumb and index finger. "Very tricky but I'll have you know, I won't let you get away with this."

"Leb bo by bose," Dana stated in nasal impatience.

"I don't know," said Alice, considering it thoughtfully. "Should I let go of your nose or should I hold it and formulate my revenge for your revenge? Both are appealing options."

Dana opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by a buzzing mechanical voice saying in sporadic enunciation, "Elevator... all right... crew... maintenance coming..."

For a single endless moment they remained frozen and then they sprang apart, Alice scrambling for her bikini and Dana pressing the intercom button. "No, no! We're fine, we think we hit a wrong button or something," said Dana anxiously, glancing back at Alice who had her bikini bottoms on and was working on the top.

"Need... maintenance.. sending down... force open... doors..." Was the buzzy reply.

"No!" Dana practically shrieked, whirling around to face Alice who finished tying the bikini top.

When Alice gave her nod of consent, Dana whapped the emergency stop button again and immediately the elevator jerked to a start, heading to the deck that their suite was on. Walking over to Alice and leaning against the far wall, Dana closed her eyes and heaved a relieved sigh. Looking to the blonde, she smiled tenderly and pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes.

"Hey," Dana murmured, her tones laced with love.

"Hey," Alice echoed, smiling to then kiss Dana slow and sweet.

Leaning into Alice's touch as the journalist cupped her cheek, Dana said, "I hope we don't get in trouble for this." She bit her bottom lip and stared at the floor before peering almost shyly up at Alice as she confessed, "I just missed you so much, you know? I missed touching you, hearing you, seeing you... I just needed that..." Dana muttered, her skin heating up in embarrassment as she went on in a whisper, "I needed you."

Ducking her head down to meet Dana's gaze, Alice looked into blue eyes and caressed the planes of her face in a gentle hold. "I'm glad," she said, soft but heartfelt and strong, so very strong in the emotions her voice contained. "Because I needed you."

The second their lips met for a simple but meaningful kiss was when the elevator doors opened to reveal a crowd consisting of a variety of people. Some of which were several rabid Dana Fairbanks fans from the last panel, Tonya with Phoebe Sparkle, the ship's captain, a wrinkled gray haired maintenance man, and one highly amused Shane.

Of course, the last person ensured that they would never hear the end of this particular escapade. Though considering how enjoyable it was, the couple couldn't seem to care.

\---

Everyone has their secrets and some are more significant than others in the minds of their keepers. The secret one person might guard with their very life could turn out to be something rather meaningless to someone else. This was the case when it came to the secret Alice had been keeping from her friends, Dana in particular, for three years now.

The secret that Alice Pieszecki and NancyWho on the Fairbanks Fan Forum were one and the same. For Alice it seemed as if she had been on the board for so long she didn't quite remember the exact details of why or how she joined. She thought maybe she did a google search on Dana and the board was the first thing to pop up. Upon visiting it, she read a post by someone like ShyDana who, ironically enough, wasn't shy at all, acting as if they were the end all be all expert on the athlete. This was despite having never met, spoken to, or even looked at her in person and that fact most likely resulted in Alice feeling compelled to reply.

Then before she knew it she had become a board regular and soon had a whole set of online acquaintances. Some friends, some freaks, but all definitely fans of Dana.

Having been on the board for so long Alice wasn't sure why she was surprised learn that some of its members had been aboard the Olivia cruise in order to meet Dana. She wasn't sure why but all the same, she was. Just like she wasn't sure why she was surprised to discover that 99% of those who had attended the cruise weren't fond of her.

Not her as in NancyWho board member with a Fairbanks Fanatic posting level but rather Alice Pieszecki. The girlfriend of their beloved Dana who they weren't shy at all in saying was far too good for her. Along with some other colorful remarks as to Alice's character as a person. 

Frankly, after reading some posts Alice was glad she never put any real information in her profile. Just her age, sexuality, and general location. And she refrained from posting anything that would reference her real name, occupation, or even looks.

It wasn't like Alice was really scared of her fellow board members. They were essentially all good people and would never hurt anyone, she was certain of that. But still, she was relieved they had no idea NancyWho was the loathed girlfriend of their favorite tennis player. Just because free and anonymous email account or not, she didn't really like the idea of countless insulting letters coming her way.

Their complaints fell into six distinct categories:

1\. She wasn't attentive enough to Dana.

This was something Alice almost found laughable because how could she possibly be attentive when the fans wouldn't even let her near Dana during the cruise? Was she supposed to shout from across a crowded room or call her cell phone every five minutes? If she did that then they would most likely say she was possessive to the point of being crazy.

2\. She was clearly cheating on Dana.

The posts on this genuinely perplexed Alice at first but then as they got more detailed she realized they perceived seeing her with anyone female other than Dana was a possible cheating partner. Apparently the water balloon fight she had gotten into with Shane and Jenny while running through the lower deck of the ship was 'shameless cavorting' also. Well, at least it was according to Racketed, one of the board moderators. Part of Alice wondered what they would think about the random pillow fight they had while drunk on margaritas the last night of the cruise. Alice's head still hurt when she recalled the final fluffy blow to her head. Who knew Tonya was that strong? Which led into the third complaint... 

3\. She was friendly with Tonya and that was just creepy.

To be perfectly honest, Alice sort of agreed with this one. It was fairly creepy she was on friendly terms with Tonya but what was she supposed to do? Once you removed the factor of her being engaged to Dana the woman somehow became likable. Plus she was a fantastic Manager and was already doing great things for Dana's career. And Tonya happened to be the only person Alice knew who shared her strange love for discussing celebrity gossip.

4/5. She was corrupting and/or ruining Dana.

This was split up just because the posters came to this conclusion thanks to two separate incidents. The first being the kiss they witnessed when Alice came to Dana's panel in a damp bikini and the second being the aftermath of their escapade in the elevator. Something that was being discussed and analyzed to the point that it could be considered the Sigmund Freud of the Olivia cruise ship incidents.

6\. She was eventually going to leave Dana for a man.

While Alice was unfortunately used to the rather shoddy treatment bisexuals received from both the heterosexual and homosexual communities for 'not choosing sides' as it were this one still left her baffled. Just because she had no clue how the hell they found out she was bisexual in the first place. Maybe someone on the cruise was part of the LA scene and they knew her, that's the only thing she could think of. She found herself wanting to make a post as NancyWho to ask the people harping on this if it would be somehow more acceptable if she were to leave Dana for another woman. Did that make her perceived future crime committed against the athlete easier to take?

Everything listed was incredibly annoying to Alice but it didn't bother her all that much. No, the prize of most annoying posts went to the in depth discussion ShyDana was leading as to what the tennis player's blush during the elevator incident meant. According to her expert opinion it was neither an 'I won a big match and I'm adorably happy', 'I'm so shy', or 'I can't believe I just said that' blush. 

Apparently it was an 'my slutty bisexual girlfriend forced herself upon me in the elevator and I can't believe she had the nerve to do such a thing' blush. That or an 'my slutty bisexual girlfriend teased me at my panel by dressing sluttier than usual and forced me to ravish her in the elevator because I could no longer control my normally innocent self' blush. 

Both of these blushes even existing were news to her. Then again, the fact that blushes could be analyzed came as something of a shock to Alice. It was a blush! How do you analyze that?! She really did want to ask ShyDana how the meaning of facial skin color could be debated but that would mean posting and adding to the discussion thus ensuring it would continue on longer than necessary.

Something that she hardly wanted to encourage.

Reading through the posts with a scowl slowly forming Alice soon discovered that just one person didn't have something against the her who was known as Dana's girlfriend and that was GretchenD who she had always considered one of her best online buddies. Probably because she was one of the few people on the board who didn't analyze blushes and theorize on the reason why Dana chose to wear red socks with a white and blue tennis outfit and so on.

Poor GretchenD made the mistake of posting this opinion and the fact she found Alice to be 'kinda hot' in the bikini along with the confession she thought the Titanic sing along had been fun as well as cute since she had gotten Dana to participate. GretchenD was currently being fed to the wolves by Racketed for this and Alice was waiting for ShyDana to arrive to deliver the final death blow. 

Mesmerized in disgust and perhaps horror in watching the destruction of her only supporter, Alice didn't notice Tina arriving at the tiny table she had claimed for herself at the back of The Planet. Nor did she notice when Tina started speaking to her. In fact, she only noticed Tina when she decided to do a Dana and Sharon Fairbanks impersonation by whapping her on top of the head with a nearby menu.

"Since when did you become a member of the menu assault brigade, T?" questioned Alice grumpily, rubbing the top of her head and watching the other woman carefully settle into the chair next to her.

"Since I said your names five times and went so far as to poke you and still didn't get any response," Tina replied smartly, shifting around to peer at her laptop. "What are you so involved with anyway?"

"Nothing!" declared Alice immediately, trying to close the laptop before Tina could get a good look at the website she had been busy studying so intently. Only it was too late, the other blonde was considerably speedy for a pregnant lady and she managed to grab Alice's hand in midmotion to hold it still as she gave the screen a good hard look.

Then she said in a sputtering laugh of disbelief, "The Fairbanks Fan Forum?"

Blushing to a level that ShyDana would find herself compelled to analyze, Alice averted her eyes and muttered, "I'm only there to find out what they think of me. Which isn't that good, if you want to know."

"You as in Alice you or you as in NancyWho you?" asked Tina humorously, peering at the logged in screen name that appeared at the top of the website.

"Me as in Alice me," Alice responded in almost mocking tones. They weren't quite full level mockery because this was Tina she was talking to and somehow even when Tina was teasing Alice she couldn't quite make herself return the favor. Probably because the teasing never lasted that long and was always followed by a sincere concern and desire to help.

"Al," murmured Tina, frowning now as she read some of the posts. "What's with these people?" Her hand moved to lightly rest on the small of the journalist's back and she rubbed it in a reassuring circular movement. "How the hell can they say wearing a bikini is slutty? It's a bikini! That's practically the required bathing suit fashion for women in California."

"That doesn't apply on Olivia cruises though," said Alice wryly. "I think most of their ire isn't from the fact that I wore a bikini but that I wore it to Dana's panel." Giving into the fact that Tina had discovered one of her most lame and embarrassing of secrets, Alice clicked on the thread ShyDana was conducting about the dubbed 'elevator incident' and what precisely the blush Dana wore at the end of it meant. "That and me wearing the bikini there led to this."

Skimming through the thread quickly, Tina couldn't help but smile proudly for her friend and looking to her with amusement, she lifted an eyebrow and drawled, "Elevator sex? Well, color me impressed."

"You'd be in the minority," Alice chuckled and watched Tina scroll down the screen. "They think I'm corrupting Dana with my wicked bisexual ways. Which, you know, is probably true but I sort of would like to note that although I greatly, greatly, and do I mean greatly enjoyed the events inside of said elevator I wasn't the one who initiated them. Although I did return the favors extended to me there thirty minutes later safely inside the walls of our suite."

"They're jealous," Tina declared after several moments of reading the board. Looking to Alice with an expression of utmost confidence, she closed the laptop with a click and went on, "They want Dana for themselves and they know they could never get her thanks to you and that makes them insult your bikini and ignore Dana's role in the fantastic elevator seduction." Tapping Alice on the nose and grinning, she leaned in closer and smiled mischievously. "I bet the reason they're all up in arms about you is that they saw how much Dana loves you and it's driving them crazy."

"You think?" asked Alice with a good deal of skepticism. Although she wished it was otherwise the opinions of the people on the board did matter to her. Mostly because she knew that despite how weird they were currently acting they all genuinely did love Dana in close to the same manner she did.

Looking at Alice with definite concern now, Tina said softly, "You don't actually believe some of the stuff they're saying do you?" 

"No, I mean... no, of course not!" Alice announced, smiling brightly and a little on the false side at Tina.

"Al," murmured Tina, scooting her chair around so they were face to face and reaching out to tenderly hold her hands. "What's going on? Something they said is obviously bothering you. Now what is it?"

"It's just... okay," pausing to take a deep breath, Alice looked Tina square in the eyes. "Some people were talking about how I was maybe clingy because I was always trying to be with Dana. And that's kind of getting to me because... well, they're sort of right, you know? I was hardly ever apart from her when I could help it on that cruise and then I started thinking about how things are back here, you know? And it's totally the same way. I mean, come on, T," she said, giving a self deprecating laugh. "Honestly, can you tell me the last time you saw or spoke to me without Dana around?"

"Of course I can!" exclaimed Tina emphatically and she opened her mouth to say more only to have it unwillingly close as she searched her brain frantically for an answer.

Watching her friend in a grim type of amusement, Alice replied, "See? You can't do it. That's because we're never apart these days. I think it's been that way since the second we hooked up and that isn't too healthy, you know. In fact, they're right. It's pretty much the example of clingy behavior and I really hate that crap. Lisa the Lesbian Man drove me nuts with it."

"No, it's not clingy," Tina insisted, shaking her head. "It's only clingy if the behavior annoys the person you're dating and it clearly doesn't annoy Dana because she does it too. If you're clingy then so is she."

"Okay, fine," Alice rolled her eyes at Tina's argument. "Dane and I are partners in clingy crime. That doesn't change the fact that we're clingy which isn't good. People need separate lives, T. Even if they're madly in love like we are. I mean... all right," she heaved a quiet sigh and looked at Tina with almost worried eyes. "I love you and Bette, you completely know that, but when you two first started going out it drove me utterly bonky how I couldn't see one of you without the other not to mention the fact that I wanted to repeatedly stab my brain every time you finished off each other sentences..."

"Gee whiz, Al, thanks for that info," said Tina sardonically. "I'm glad my romance with Bette drove you to near suicide."

"Only for the first few months," reminded Alice, nudging her friend in the side and laughing. "You got better after that and settled into a nice boring routine."

"I remember that," said Tina rather wistfully, finding herself pulled back into the good old days when things had been less complicated and she knew just who exactly she loved.

Very much wanting to get the topic off her and Dana's mutual clinginess, which honestly did bother her quite a bit, Alice murmured, "How are things going on the Bette front?"

"She agreed to date me," Tina said, smiling almost sheepishly. "I didn't think she would. I know she doesn't like Helena and I thought..." She trailed off and shrugged her shoulders as she looked across The Planet at various customers.

"You thought she'd demand you stop seeing her," supplied Alice, understanding where that thought would come from. After all, she had been involved with Bette too once upon a time.

"Pretty much," admitted Tina. She turned back to face Alice and said, "I still love her, Al. I honestly do but for the first time in years I feel like I'm finally more than Bette's Tina. For a long time I let it be about her because it seemed as if everything for her was more important. Her career, her feelings, her thoughts." Shrugging her shoulders, Tina continued, "It always seemed that way but now... now I have Helena and I know you guys don't like her. She can come off badly but she respects me, she really does. Helena recognizes my accomplishments and me as a person. I need that right now, no matter how much I still love Bette. I need to have someone treat me that way and Helena does. She really does, Al."

"I can understand that," said Alice kindly, squeezing Tina's hand in a gentle hold. Lifting up a mock angry index finger at her friend, she scooted closer and said, "But you better understand you can always talk to me about this stuff, despite the fact that I love Bette as much as you, because I just want you to be happy, T. That's all I've ever wanted. Actually, that's a lie," she frowned then looked around The Planet in a moment of playful suspicion. "You know what?" Alice whispered in a confession, her brown eyes twinkling when she focused on Tina. "I think I love you more than Bette."

"That's a totally natural feeling and I endorse it," Tina remarked, laughing happily.

"I thought you would," said Alice with a nod before she joined in on the laughter. Trying as she did so to ignore the nagging feelings of worry about the currently clingy nature of her relationship with Dana.

\---

One ring, two ring, three ring, four ring... Dana recited in her head, bouncing up and down on her heels and nibbling on her bottom lip. She knew she sounded something like a Dr. Seuss book with her reciting but she couldn't stop as she had just gotten done with training. Since she was done, she was trying to get a hold of Alice to see what she was up to because, well...

Whatever Alice was up to, she wanted to be there for it. Not really for the activity itself but to simply be near the blonde. Only for some reason Alice wasn't answering her cell phone which was rather odd since although Dana had given her handy instructions on how to turn it off, she no longer applied the knowledge. While Shane was more notorious for being attached to her cell phone to an almost unhealthy level, Alice did happen to share the same affliction. 

Which was why Dana was a little disturbed by the fact that the phone wasn't being answered. Noticing the frown that was forming, Mike wandered over to the tennis player. "What's up?" he asked, handing her a bottle of water and studying her closely. They had been working together for years and he helped develop her current training regime, that being so, Mike felt he knew Dana fairly well. And knowing her fairly well, he could see she was getting anxious.

"Alice isn't answering her phone," said Dana, her frown deepening. The bouncing had increased into hops and she had changed from nibbling on her bottom lip to biting it. "She always answers her phone. Until I showed her how I'm not sure she knew how to turn it off."

"Maybe she's in a meeting?" Mike suggested helpfully.

"Maybe," allowed Dana. Presently on ring seventeen, she decided to hang up and try the office. Clicking through her phone book, she stared off in the distance and waited for the main receptionist at the magazine to pick up.

"LA Magazine, how may I direct your call?" Tracy, their longtime receptionist, chirped.

"Hey Tracy, it's Dana, can you connect me to Alice?" asked Dana almost impatiently.

"Hi Dana!" chirped Tracy, making Dana wince. Whenever she called the magazine she would ponder how the older woman managed to be happy all of the time because it just seemed so very unnatural. "I'm sorry but Alice isn't in the office right now. You should try her cell phone."

"I already did," Dana replied in dim shock.

"Oh, well--" 

Click. 

She ended the call before Tracy could finish her suggestion in perpetually happy tones that would almost guarantee to make her sick. Of course, that reaction might have something to do with the worry churning in her stomach that was on a mission to take control of both Dana's body and her brain.

"She wasn't there?" asked Mike who was starting to regret having made any suggestions.

"No, she wasn't," said Dana softly, closing the phone and walking away from her trainer who remained where he was for a moment then quickly jogged after her.

"Where are you going?" Mike pursued, not quite liking the behavior Dana was exhibiting. He had never seen her act this way off the court. Controlled, determined, and hard. That was her on court persona and not once had he witnessed it in other aspects of her life. Something he found good because frankly Dana could be fairly scary on the court.

"To find Alice," Dana responded shortly, sounding irritated with his questions and it was this tone of voice that made Mike stop in his pursuit. He stood in place, watching her stride over to her car and then exit the club with the screeching of tires as he considered something.

You never really knew someone until you saw them in love.

\---

From the day that she got her license Alice would take a drive whenever she needed to sort things out in her head. It was something that both calmed and relaxed her as she found the process of driving a vehicle almost robotic in its second nature. She used the term vehicle because although she let her license expire and she hadn't driven one in years, she did happen to know how to operate a motorcycle.

That was mostly because of Isaac, her high school boyfriend. He had a 1949 Triumph Thunderbird that while it was a classic example of mechanical motorcycle beauty it also tended to constantly break down. Thanks to this, Alice had to learn how to both drive it and help with on the spot repairs that seemed to occur every time they went on a date.

On thinking of it, she had probably gotten her habit of driving around to sort things out from Isaac as well. It had been one of his many charming quirks that he simply loved to drive on his motorcycle. Often their dates would consist of him appearing on her doorstep after randomly driving around to then ask if she'd like to come along for the journey.

The reason that she now found herself driving was the discussion with Tina and the damning reality that her relationship was indeed clingy. Tina thought just the idea of her being upset over this was idiotic and Alice tended to think she was right. After all, she was happy with Dana and Dana was happy with her. What did it matter if they were clingy with one another? Wasn't their happiness the only thing that truly mattered?

Yes and no.

They were happy in their clingy relationship as of the moment but things change and people need their space. Alice knew that all too well. The last thing she wanted to do was to end up driving Dana away by holding her too close and too tight.

Suffocation is just as effective as anything else in successfully killing a relationship. Which was the last thing Alice wanted. She loved Dana so very much, more than anyone, and the idea she might not be with her some day?

Just the thought of it nearly killed her.

Maybe she should talk to Dana about this... explain about her worries but something in Alice told her this wouldn't be a good idea. That the athlete would perceive it as her wanting to cool things off or take a break to quote a lame episode of Friends. That was the last thing Alice wanted to do at this point.

To be perfectly honest, before her discussion with Tina she was considering asking Dana to move in. They were together all of the time anyway, wouldn't it be easier to make it official and save them the rent money?

But now it didn't seem like the wisest decision.

The funny thing about life when you're living it is that what you see is natural in the moment upon looking back could in actuality be the stupidest thing you've ever done. Alice wondered if this was like that. Moving in with Dana, letting their relationship progress faster than a speeding bullet, and going with the flow as Shane would call it. That was all well and good at this instant in time but perhaps later they would regret it.

They could even regret falling in love with one another. When she thought about it endless things could go wrong with them it honestly terrified her. There were so many ways to fuck this up that Alice hadn't even began to notice until she actually stopped to consider it.

She wanted to crawl into a hole and hide at the overwhelming weight of that knowledge crushing down on her. Hide from Dana, hide from their relationship, hide from their love, hide from the potential pain to come but she couldn't.

How the hell could she do that when she knew damn well this was what Dana had feared? That this was the reason the athlete had kept her feelings to herself for years. What kind of person would she be if she gave into the fear that Dana had finally overcome?

Fear that she conquered because of Alice and her promise to her, unspoken or not, that she would make sure Dana didn't regret her decision. That she would love her and keep her safe and protect her heart as if it was her own.

No, that was wrong. She would protect it better because it was hers. Dana was her heart and she had told her that, promised her that. The last thing Alice could damn well do would be to take that all away.

If she did what kind of person would she be?

Not a person, really. Some type of horrible monster instead and that wasn't something Alice couldn't allow herself to be. Letting fear rule you never led to anything good in life, she knew that for certain and she knew that's what was happening to her now.

Ignore the fear. Push it away. Shove it into the darkness. Wipe it from existence.

The problem was that was far easier said than done.

\---

Loud banging on her door was the first thing Gabby heard on exiting the shower. Arching an eyebrow and hoping that it wasn't that annoying friend of Lara's who was named after a flower of some sort, she made her way to the door. Though the chef refused to listen to her about it, Gabby was convinced that the flower friend was in love with the redhead. Why else would she keep warning Gabby not to break Lara's heart precisely every two seconds during any of their encounters?

"Daisy? Rose? Petunia?" muttered Gabby to herself, pulling the towel tight around her body and trying to recall the flower friend's name. "Cactus? Chia Pet?"

Chuckling at her final suggestions, Gabby opened the door and blinked on seeing the figure of an angry Dana Fairbanks. This she hadn't been expecting. Mostly because the plan was still in the works and wasn't even starting to move into the big stages. That being so, why was Dana here? As far as the tennis player knew she wasn't after Alice. Maybe she had read the other woman wrong and she cared more about Lara then she thought. If that was true then this would be far easier than Gabby had ever thought.

But the way Dana's blue eyes flashed at her told her that probably wasn't the case. Which was why she stepped aside and decided to just let the athlete inside. Gabby was a realist pure and simple and there was no way she could hope to ever beat Dana in a physical confrontation.

Mental though? Oh yes. They would have some fun. As a matter of fact they would be having some fun in seconds. The moment she closed the front door.

Turning around and observing rather humorously as Dana searched her apartment, Gabby walked over to the stereo and flipped through her collection of cds. "Can I help you find something? Though I'm wondering exactly what you could be looking for since before now you've never even stepped foot onto these premises," Gabby called out glibly to Dana who had disappeared into her bedroom. "Are you on a pursuit for the meaning of life? Because sadly I don't have it. If I did I would market and sell it on the Home Shopping Network."

Finally locating a cd that Alice had given to her years ago, at the start of their long and somewhat torrid romance, Gabby put it in the stereo. She was clicking through the tracks to get to the song that Alice had once said perfectly explained how she often felt during their romance. Ever since she decided to take Alice back for her own Gabby had listened to this song almost constantly.

To remind her of past mistakes that she would never be making again and just why she wanted Alice. Wanted her beauty, her intelligence, her humor, and her vulnerability.

Each time she listened to this song it tore at Gabby because she never did that when they were together. She played the song and she heard lyrics but she didn't listen to what they were saying. What Alice was saying by bringing it to her attention. The understated and quiet but painfully powerful risk the journalist had taken in revealing her feelings with it.

And she had thrown it away like it was garbage. Much like she had thrown away chance after chance Alice had given to her. That was done with though. She had made up her mind on what she wanted and what she had to do.

What did it matter if she cared for Lara? If she wasn't sure she could hurt the chef? That she thought just maybe she was falling in love with her? Why should she stop to think and consider when she knew what she could have had with Alice because this song told her?

"Find what you were looking for?" asked Gabby in droll tones, sitting down on her loveseat and crossing her legs as she peered up at a fuming Dana who was reentering the room. 

Staring Gabby down and clenching her jaw, Dana said in a barely restrained rage, "I don't know what you're planning with Lara and I don't really care. She told me to butt out of your relationship and as her friend I'll respect that."

"Huzzah, whee, oodles of joy," drawled Gabby mockingly. "You hear that? I'm over the moon with delight at your words." Looking down at her towel and adjusting it more firmly around her breasts, she continued, "I don't give a shit about what you respect. What I do with Lara is my own business. You're dating Alice, remember? Concentrate on her."

"Why do you think I'm here?" asked Dana in a growl.

Lifting an eyebrow staidly, Gabby smiled and clucked her tongue. "Someone doesn't trust her girlfriend, does she? And here I thought you and Alice had the dictionary definition of a perfect relationship. All is not well in you-ville, is it?"

"Stay away from Alice," ordered Dana in a cold demand and deciding she was done playing games with Gabby, she headed for the door.

Only to freeze in her tracks when Gabby remarked rather carelessly, "That's fine by me. But exactly what should I do when Alice comes to see me?"

"What?" Dana hissed the word more than said it and faced Gabby with an expression that reflected severe consequences if the other woman chose not to answer her.

"What am I supposed to do when Alice comes to see me?" asked Gabby, doing her best innocent impersonation. Tilting her head, she grinned and said, "She did that the other day, you know. Last Thursday to be exact. She visited me at work and wanted to know why I had changed for Lara and not her." The grin quirking on her lips, Gabby said in a faux confession, "I think she's feeling rejected thanks to my new romance because she was a little preoccupied when I told her I'm in love with Lara."

"Last Thursday?" echoed Dana in a bare whisper.

Memories of Alice's enthusiastic wake up call and how the blonde had seemed compelled to prove her love immediately came flashing back. Along with how Alice had acted as if she needed to reassure herself about her feelings for the tennis player and their bond. Had Alice truly done that? Did she actually make love to Dana so very passionately and devoted and tender merely in order to appease her guilt because she knew she would be seeing Gabby later? Dana felt herself becoming sick at the thought.

"I told her I've moved on with Lara," offered Gabby helpfully, observing Dana closely. "I'm not sure but I think she was a tad hurt. What does that say to you?"

Jerking her head up and taking in the smug look on Gabby's features, Dana darkened and slowly stepped towards the other woman. She stopped a breath away from her and captured her eyes in a furious gaze that reflected an anger that was being held back by the weakest wall that could easily break at any time. "Don't you dare suggest that Alice would cheat on me with you," Dana spat the words out in disgusted tones, looking at Gabby as if she was an insect to be stepped upon. "I know she loves me and I know she's done with you. Just like I know what you're up to. You're playing head games like you always do, Gabby. But this time you're not going to get away with it because this time Alice is with me and unlike you, I'm not about to fuck that up." Taking one single step forward and smiling slightly as Gabby scooted backwards at her movement, Dana coldly repeated her words from earlier. "Stay away from Alice."

Then she left the apartment as quickly as she appeared.

Listening to her song, the one that Alice had said was for her alone, the one she was meant to hear, the one to help her finally learn, Gabby smiled soft and triumphant. Not because the plan was working, though it clearly was, but because of something else entirely.

The plain and simple fact that everything she had just said was the absolute truth. And nothing can tear down the truth. It can't really ever be picked apart and analyzed and ruined. The truth is merely what it is and it can never be altered. Not at its core.

And Gabby had spoken the truth. Releasing an incredulous and gleeful laugh on realizing this, she leaned back on her loveseat and listened to the words of her song. 

"Hello, it's me. The girl you had to have. Number twelve, remember me? You filled me with great expectations, just to hide me in your basement. Did you get from me what you wanted?"

Surely enough, Gabby did get what she wanted and she would continue to get what she wanted if she had anything to say about it. Whether Dana Fairbanks liked the situation or not.

\---

Dana wasn't sure how she wound up at The Planet drinking coffee and staring into space but she had been there for an hour and thirty five minutes thus far. To be honest, she didn't know why she was even there in the first place. She only knew she didn't want to go home.

Home being her condo, Alice's apartment, or just wherever Alice happened to be at that moment. She had long since given up on calling her cell phone and found herself lost in her endless supply of memories and thoughts of the journalist.

To Dana it felt as if she had always been in love with Alice just because when she tried to remember what it was like not to love her the effort left the tennis player helplessly blank. Loving Alice was as natural as breathing to Dana and that was part of why she had feared revealing her feelings. Because if she told Alice how she felt and Alice rejected her, no matter how kindly she did it, Dana would be hurt, perhaps even devastated, but most importantly she would try to stop those feelings.

She would try to stop loving Alice to prevent the other woman from feeling uncomfortable around her. Stop the feelings in order to keep Alice always in her life, whatever the capacity. She would try to stop herself from breathing and that would surely kill her.

But now she could breath and more than that she could laugh, smile, and finally live. If she feared losing Alice so very much when all she could do was breath what would happen now that she was actually living?

That wasn't something Dana would allow herself to consider for any long span of time. She was an athlete, pure and simple, in every sense of the word. The thrill of competition, doing her best, pushing herself beyond her natural limits, and showing others what she could do was what Dana loved more than anything else in the world.

Well, okay, not more than Alice.

It came close though. But it was true, she loved competing, rising to the occasion and proving to those who doubted her that she could do it. Not only do it but exceed all of the expectations placed on her and become something truly spectacular while on the tennis court.

Once Dana made up her mind about something she put her whole heart into it. Halfway didn't exist when it came to her world. She was an all or nothing type of girl, something that was fairly obvious from the manic energy she often exhibited in whatever she did. 

Until today Dana thought she had been putting her whole heart into her relationship with Alice. Then she stopped to think about it and realized Alice had done everything at the start. She had been the first one to deliver a kiss, the first one to confess their love, and the first one to plan a romantic date... in fact, their ONLY date so far. What had Dana done really? Other than going along for the relationship ride as it were.

Brooding in the strangely cute manner she tended to have, Dana sighed heavily and pushed her coffee cup around on the bar. "I need to do something," she muttered. 

And it was true, she really did have to do something, anything, to make sure Alice knew how much Dana loved her. She had to do this to ensure that Gabby never had the slightest chance of winning Alice's affections again.

The problem was Dana had no idea how to go about doing this. For the longest time she held confidence in the lone fact that she was an excellent tennis player. No, that was a lie. She held confidence in the fact that she was a top notch tennis player. No, that was a lie too. 

She held confidence in the fact that she was a tennis player who could kick the asses of many other tennis players. Yeah, that sounded about right. 

Anyway, she held confidence in that fact and pretty much nothing else. Because for such a long time the only thing she had in her life was the game of tennis. Ever since the day she saw Stephanie dragged away by her angry parents at camp Dana had focused on the game alone because it was only when she played the game did she feel safe.

Tennis didn't care who she had a crush on, who she dreamt of kissing, who she fainted at the idea of having sex with. The game only cared about the amount of time and effort she invested into it and nothing more. Tennis could really care less if Dana was having sex with a woman, man, or even something in between. What mattered to the game was how fast Dana's serve was and how hard she could deliver a backhand shot.

That's why Dana had devoted herself to playing tennis because it was her sanctuary. The one place that for endless years she felt totally at ease and comfortable in her own skin. When she played the game Dana felt she was more like her true self than anywhere else in the world.

But that was slowly changing thanks to her romance with Alice and Dana knew that. On the court and with Alice were now the places Dana found herself totally at ease. Because much like the game itself, the blonde would never judge her. No, Alice simply loved her for who she was.

Dana had never been happier because of that.

What would be the best way to show her that? Frowning deeply and pushing her coffee cup around, Dana groaned and dropped her head onto the bar. "Maybe I should focus on what Al would hate doing on date," she grumbled. "Maybe that would give me ideas."

"Baby girl, if you wanna know what not to do on a date with Alice you oughta call my sister," Kit announced her appearance with usual charming exuberance, a wide smile on her features. 

"Kit!" exclaimed Dana, blushing darkly because she honestly didn't realize she had been speaking out loud. "Bette?" she said frowned, appearing perplexed. "Why would... ohhhh," Dana gained a look of comprehension. "Bette was that bad?" 

The athlete couldn't help being a little curious. After all, no one knew much of anything about Alice's relationship with Bette. Just that they had dated for six weeks, Bette was the one to end the romance, and Alice had been fairly young when it all went on. 

"Bad?" chuckled Kit, rolling her eyes expressively. "Oh lord. It was worse than bad... it was a disaster if you ask me. My baby sister--" Kit stopped in the throws of what seemed like it would be a rant and declared, "Hell! I won't waste your time talkin' about this. Not when you can get it right from the mouth of the dating criminal." Having said that she pulled out her cell phone and pressed Bette's number on speed dial.

"Dating criminal?" echoed Dana in disbelief.

"It fits," Kit responded, wagging a finger at Dana. "Trust me when I say it fits. Just wait until I make her tell you. Baby sis!" proclaimed Kit, beaming as she said this. "You get your butt down to The Planet, I got a mission for you." Kit paused to listen to whatever Bette was saying then drawled, "I'm sure that's real enthrallin' like you said but like I said I got a mission for you and what with all you did you owe it to the girl." Rolling her eyes again, Kit sighed. "No, this don't have squat to do with Tina. I keep forgettin' how many women you've done wrong."

Unable to help herself, Dana burst into giggles. She really couldn't help it. Hearing Kit chastise Bette about all of the women she had 'done wrong' was just incredibly funny to her.

"Alice," said Kit rather somberly and this made Dana stop giggling to study the older woman thoughtfully. Clearly whatever Bette had done to Alice way back when still bothered Kit and if something bothered Kit... well, then it was sure to bother Dana. Especially if the something involved Alice. "Uh huh. That's what I thought. Now you get your butt down here and talk to Dana. She wants to know what NOT to do on a date with our girl. You gotta know you're an expert on that." Listening to whatever Bette said with a pacified and patient expression, Kit ended the call with, "I know that too, baby sis. See you soon." Closing the phone and smiling at Dana sweetly, Kit patted Dana's hand and murmured, "She'll be here in a half an hour."

"What did Bette do to Alice?" asked Dana quietly.

Raising an eyebrow at the solemn look on the athlete's tanned features and the subtle warning in her voice, Kit replied, "It ain't as bad as I made it out but..." She sighed deeply and she looked away from Dana before turning back to lock their eyes. "You need to talk to my sister about this. She can tell you more since she was the one actually doin' the dating."

"She hurt her, didn't she?" Dana pressed on, not about to let this go. Not when it came to Alice.

Considering Dana with a veiled gaze, Kit smiled slowly and patted her cheek in a sisterly way and drawled, "You've gone head over heels about her haven't you, baby girl?" Her hand fell away and she went on, "Don't you worry. It's nothin' that bad but what she'll tell you will help you to know everythin' you need to about what to do when it comes to makin' your girl happy." Walking away from Dana and flashing a last smile, she declared, "Trust me on that!"

A frown staying on her features as she watched Kit leave, Dana wondered what exactly Bette would tell her. Then her watch beeped to remind her that Alice's radio show, which had been expanded recently into a mighty fifteen minutes, would soon be on. Hopping off the bar to sit in her car to hear the show while waiting for Bette, she suddenly felt herself getting into a good mood. Just because in minutes she would be hearing Alice's voice and then in a few minutes after that she would know something new about her.

Kit was right, Dana was head over heels in love, and she wouldn't want it any other way. 

\---

Grinning at the on air light as it flashed, Alice leaned forward slightly in her seat and drawled, "Hello all. You're listening to The Chart with Alice Pieszecki and her intrepid engineer Rich."

"I'm intrepid?" asked Rich, sounding excited at the thought. 

Then again, he was just plain excited as they had recently gotten out of a meeting with Mimi and she had approved Alice's request to let her chat with Rich on air. They had been working together ever since he sat in on the blonde's audition at the station and she thought as a straight man with a relatively open mind he would bring an interesting angle to the mostly gay and lesbian topics she chose. That and she revealed she thought his nerdiness was funny. Rich couldn't ever remember a time that he had been so happy to be considered a nerd.

"Very," Alice chuckled. "You helped me fix my car stereo remember? I would call that intrepid considering what had gone wrong with it."

"Why did you have a little plastic umbrella stuck in there anyway?" asked Rich, his face scrunching up as he remembered the debacle removing it had become. Though he did feel that the hug he got from Alice for finally getting the umbrella out had made it entirely worth his while. "You said you would tell me but only now do I realize you changed the subject. You can't do that now!" Rich attempted to sound nefarious and failed. "We're on air. If you back out I'll ask people to call it and guilt trip you into confessing."

"It's stupid," Alice attempted to wave it off.

"Alice, do you see the little lights blinking?" asked Rich, starting to sound somewhat nefarious.

"Yeah," said Alice, drawing the word out.

"Those would be the phone lines," said Rich smugly. "Want me to open them up to the demands for an answer or yet another lame song request even though we don't play music?"

"Ugh," muttered Alice. She paused to point at Rich and announced, "You're evil. Fine! Fine. I will tell you how a little plastic umbrella ended up stuck in my car stereo."

"Goody," Rich rocked in his chair and clapped his hands.

"My girlfriend Dana," began Alice a bit shyly.

"Dana Fairbanks," crowed Rich, sounding very proud of himself for saying her name for whatever reason. "Pro tennis star. Sexy lesbian woman. Go on, I'm listening."

"You're totally interrupting," Alice rolled her eyes and reminded herself the natural interaction she had with Rich was why she wanted him on air with her. He would prevent her from ever going back into her 'radio Alice' mode as Dana liked to call it. Plus she did happen to find his nerdiness amusing and she had this great idea of turning The Chart into an ensemble type of show. Next week she was thinking of having Jenny on just because Jenny was so very Jenny. "Anyway, I was listening to the radio, KCRW, of course, and a fellow on air personality made an unjust criticism about her, it was unjust in my opinion anyway, and I had the little plastic umbrella in my mouth and well..."

"You stabbed the car stereo in a fit of anger," said Rich, he breathed the words in awe more than actually saying them. He was quiet for a moment then he squealed like a preteen girl and said, "That's the coolest thing ever! Fit of girlfriend rage!"

"It was definitely a big time fit of girlfriend rage," Alice chuckled.

"So who said the unjust things about Dana Fairbanks, pro tennis star and sexy lesbian woman?" asked Rich curiously.

"Why are you subtitling her name?" wondered Alice aloud, frowning. "And no way am I telling you. I shall not bad mouth my fellow employees on the air. I'm just explaining the little plastic umbrella incident because I owed it to you since you were intrepid and did fix my car stereo. Anyway," Alice shuffled her papers to make herself sound busy. "We need to get to The Chart topic of connectedness."

"I wanna know," Rich halfway pouted.

"We're talking about connectedness. But first we'll talk on something you and most straight men love," drawled Alice, lifting an eyebrow humorously. "Breasts."

"I like wings," said Rich blankly.

"Women's breasts," Alice added sardonically.

"Ohh, those I like," laughed Rich.

"I figured," said Alice dryly. "For those listeners who like us and care, Rich and I will be at the KCRW booth at the upcoming Gay Pride. Which is why I'm bringing up breasts because every time I go to Pride I always have the same unpleasant experience with them."

"Breasts can be unpleasant?" asked Rich in confusion. 

"Surprisingly, young Gay Pride grasshopper, yes they can," Alice said with certain humorous inflection. "The thing about Pride that gets to me is this consistent occurrence that never seems to change no matter the year. I mean, I've been going to Pride since I was 19 and it was such a great experience, you know? Hell," Alice sighed and chuckled at Rich's look of wide eyed curiosity. "It helped me get over my first girlfriend, Tayo, who was running through everything female on the college campus." Snapping out of her flashback, Alice then leaned back and drawled, "Pride was great except for one thing!"

"Which was?" Rich prompted.

"Women's breasts," said Alice slowly. When Rich looked incredulously at her, she laughed and waved her hands expressively about. "I'll explain, don't worry. The thing I've noticed from attending Gay Pride over the years is the fact that the women you want to take their tops off, because they have utterly fantastic breasts, never do. On the other hand, the women you want to leave their tops on, because they have less than utterly fantastic breasts to be on the nice side, always take them off. It's a genuine Gay Pride paradox."

"You have fantastic breasts," said Rich, staring at them as he said this and as he did Alice was sort of glad he was in a glass booth separated from her.

"Dana Fairbanks: pro tennis star sexy lesbian woman who also happens to be my somewhat protective girlfriend will probably just adore hearing you say that," said Alice in droll tones. "She loves it when people other than her flirt with me."

"I didn't! I wasn't!" Rich sputtered, panicked. He grabbed his microphone and it rocked back and forth slightly. "Don't hit me with tennis balls at very fast speeds, Ms. Fairbanks!"

"She finally improved her serve. I think now she can hit them at 130 miles per hour," Alice mused. Rich looked horrified at this and she chuckled while flicking a switch then she said, "Hey caller. You're on The Chart with Alice and her now muted from terror engineer Rich."

"My god!" an excited woman's voice declared. "You're so right about the women at Pride. Why is that?! I can't say how many pairs of sagging breasts I've seen there. It's so wrong."

"Isn't it?" asked Alice. "What's your name caller? And are you going to be visiting me and muted Rich at our booth during Pride?"

"Carly," the woman said. She paused then asked suggestively, "Why do you want me there? Do you want to judge my breasts to see if I should be allowed to take my top off?"

"That wasn't my intention but that is a good idea," said Alice thoughtfully. She grinned playfully at Rich who seemed to be snapping out of his horror induced coma. "What do you think Rich? Should we set up a special breast judging area of our booth to let the people know who should and shouldn't let their twins out for public viewing?"

"You would be serving the community," piped in Carly.

"Ohh, I like that!" Alice said gleefully. "How much fun would it be to make a series of Gay Pride public service announcements when it came to showing your breasts?" She cleared her throat then said in an overly stiff and solemn enunciation, "Do you never wear a bra? Do your breasts touch your belly button? Do your nipples take up more space than they really ought to? If so you should not remove your top at the next Gay Pride."

"That's great," Carly laughed in clear enjoyment.

"Thanks for the suggestion, Carly," drawled Alice, deciding to end her conversation with the caller as she looked at the wildly gesturing figure of Kimberly Volkahovavich. Much like herself, Kimberly had been brought in from the print realm, except she was from the LA Times and covered the world news beat. "I hope I'll see you at our newly formed breast judging booth at Pride. We could use all the support we can get. Bras and otherwise."

"I'll be there," said Carly, a lilt in her voice.

"Good deal," said Alice, chuckling softly. She waved Kimberly in and continued, "We've got a visitor to our studio, folks. Kimberly Volkahovavich from the KCRW news team. What's up, Kim? I know it has to be something from the way you were hopping around and didn't you say you weren't sure you'd take me up on my come on the air with Alice anytime you want invite?"

Turning bright red, Kimberly sat down next to Alice and muttered into the nearby microphone, "Because you made it sound dirty, Al. What did you expect?"

"Come on the air with Alice!" Rich cried out suddenly, once again sounding like a preteen girl due to his high pitched squeal. When he noticed both Alice and Kimberly were looking at him with deadpan expressions, he laughed nervously. "Sorry. I just got the joke."

"Anyway," said Alice in a slow drawl. "What were you hopping around like a horny toad about, Kim? I know it must be good for you to ignore my bad attempt at humor."

"You wanted me to come see you if I got any breaking news that I thought you might be interested in, right?" asked Kimberly nervously. She honestly liked Alice but she couldn't help feeling a bit anxious just because no one was this nice to her at the station. Especially another new commentator. She couldn't believe Alice was willingly giving her more airtime. The blonde did say it was part of how she was developing her show but still... it was odd to Kimberly but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides that, Kimberly DID like Alice. She thought she was nice and despite what she just said about herself, very funny. "I just got something I think you'll love."

"I'm all ears," said Alice, encouraging Kimberly with a smile.

"Recently a story got picked up by the Associated Press about something called the Cambodian Midget Fighting League which was said to have just held an event where the 42 members of the League battled a lion," Kimberly began, grinning when she saw Alice's brown eyes go wide in amazement. "It gets better," she allowed herself a laugh, slipping out of news mode when Alice scooted towards her eagerly. "Supposedly the event was allowed to take place because the Cambodian government was going to collect 50% of the profits."

"Bastards! I say give that money to the midgets, they're going to be battling a lion," said Alice, grumbling at the injustice of it all.

"The story said that during the battle 28 of the midgets were killed while 14 were merely maimed by the lion," Kimberly kept going with the news.

"28!" Alice exclaimed. "How do they let 28 midgets get killed before they call off this battle? Isn't one being dead enough to say the lion won the fight? Logistically speaking and all."

"Maybe 28 dead midgets equal one dead lion," offered Rich helpfully.

"That's wrong," muttered Alice, shaking her head. "Just wrong."

"Here's the thing though," said Kimberly, getting thoroughly into the story and unaware of the large group of their colleagues gathering outside the studio to listen in. "The story was a fake! It got picked up by the AP and several TV networks and it was complete fabrication! Apparently the story being spread was an accident and came from the debate of a group of college students while intoxicated. One of the friends was technically inclined and created a fake online article along with a parody of the official BBC news website. That somehow got spread to sources who felt the story was valid thanks to this."

Silence as they all contemplated this and then Alice remarked, "I once used Photoshop to make it look like I was dating Shirley Manson."

Even those in the radio listening audience could hear the immediate swell of raucous laughter from the radio station employees at this revelation. And with it, Alice couldn't help but smile and think just maybe this really was the perfect place for her.

\---

Dana was involved in her internal debate as to who exactly would win in a fight, 42 midgets or a lion, when Bette sat down at the small table she chosen at the back of The Planet.

Arranging herself neatly, Bette lifted an eyebrow as Dana kept staring into space. "Dana," said Bette in her always smooth tones, smiling when her friend jumped slightly.

"Bette," said Dana nervously. She nibbled on her bottom lip then flashed an overly bright smile and said, "So who do you think would win in a fight? 42 midgets or a lion? I think the lion."

"You and Alice really are meant for each other," Bette chuckled, shaking her head at the topic that had ended up taking up most of the blonde's radio show. "Sadly for the midgets I have to agree with you, the lion would win that battle. But that's not what I'm here to talk about is it?" she questioned rather knowingly.

"No, it isn't," said Dana, nervous still.

At least she was nervous until Kit decided to make an appearance by putting her hands on Bette's shoulders and leaning down to mock whisper in her ear, "Don't you go scaring this girl. She needs to know about your philanderin' ways."

"I did not philander!" Bette disputed huffily. "Alice and I weren't dating exclusively and I thought the purpose of this meeting was for me to tell Dana what she doesn't like doing on dates. Since apparently she didn't enjoy any of ours, according to you at least."

Kit scoffed and settled down to sit in between Bette and Dana, tilting her head as she replied, "Ain't no according. She told me plain and simple, she was either bored or ignored or just plain ready to snore on all your outin's. The only thing that kept that girl returnin' was that you were different from all the women she knew and you were good in bed."

Despite herself, Bette preened at the last comment before scowling because, on reflection, the statement as a whole was an insulting one. "How is it that only now is it revealed that you were Alice's confidant during our six week dating debacle?" asked Bette in deprecating tones.

"Because baby girl didn't want me tellin' no one," said Kit, pointing a finger at Bette, making it clear that no one meant her. "She was sorta upset at herself for bein' upset over you because you know, she wasn't stupid. You didn't need to tell her the relationship wasn't goin' anywhere, she knew that, but all the same hearing you say it still hurt. But bein' her, she wanted to take you up on your offer of friendship. Said to me she figured maybe you'd be a better friend than a girlfriend." Kit snorted and muttered, "I don't know if I agree with that though."

"What is this?" Bette wasn't really speaking to Kit or Dana, she was more aiming her comments at thin air. "Insult Bette Porter day? Why am I here again?"

"Bette?" asked Dana in a gentle interruption and when the other woman looked to her, she smiled and her eyes held a quiet but heartfelt curiosity. "How did you meet Alice?"

Looking at Dana with some surprise, Bette couldn't stop a fond smile from tugging at her lips at the memory. "She was working as an intern at the Times," she started off, chuckling softly.

The doors flew open with a loud bang and revealed the figure of a beautiful brunette who swept into the room much like a force of nature. Her appearance left the staff frozen while feeling simultaneously envious and sorry for the new girl who was meant to deal with her at the counter. Because no matter how attractive the woman was, she clearly had a complaint.

Swallowing hard and brown eyes going wider with every step the woman took towards her, Alice tried to calm her wildly beating heart. Though she was great at putting on a disaffected attitude this was her first day on the job and she didn't enjoy confrontations. Then again, nobody really enjoys confrontations. Unless you were in the military, that is. 

"Your sorry excuse for newspaper misprinted my ad," the woman announced, whapping the paper down on the counter and staring hard at Alice.

"Okay..." Alice began slowly, picking up the paper to look at the advertisement for an exhibit featuring a collection of abstract art watercolor paintings. The one featured in the ad sort of looked like a duck with two heads to Alice. She had a strange urge to laugh but held back with all her might because she was sure that reaction would make the brunette kill her. Continuing to search the ad, she looked up when she heard an irritated sigh from the woman. Lifting an eyebrow, she turned the paper around and said, "I'm just a peon who has as much artistic sensibility as a piece of wood. Mind showing me the misprint?"

Releasing an annoyed hiss of air and rolling her eyes, the woman snatched back the paper then held it up to point aggressively at the name Charles Reinwould. "This is what's a misprint! Charles ReinWALD, not ReinWOULD, ReinWALD!"

Blinking and staring at the paper, Alice wondered why that was such a big deal. Yes, they had misprinted a name but why would that make her blow up to this degree. Maybe she just had no sense of art and that's why she was baffled. Which was why she said, "That matters because?"

"That matters because Charles Reinwould is a simple minded over touted poor excuse for an impressionist painter who felt the epitome of artistic genius was to paint fruit in bowls," the woman growled out in such powerful disgust Alice was secretly amused and a little scared of her anger. "Charles Reinwald, on the other hand, is a brilliant painter who uses his work to expose the pain of the human spirit and the perseverance we can express in times of utmost need. It took me six months to get him to agree to let me produce a show for him at the LACMA and now he might back out because you morons wrote that he was Charles Reinwould! That's why it fucking matters, you imbecile!" 

Wincing at the name calling, Alice bit on her lip and said hesitantly, "All right. I can see why it matters. But what would you like us to do about the misprint, Ms...?"

"Porter, Bette Porter," the woman spat her name out. "I want you to reprint the ad at no cost to me and I would like to have two other ads put into the paper additionally at larger space size and in more visible sections. I want one of these ads to be free and the other, if it comes to that, to be discounted at half the cost. If you don't comply then you will be hearing from my lawyers and the counsel for the LACMA." Alice opened her mouth to reply and Bette held up her hand then went on, "And I want to see your supervisor. Right now."

"What?" Alice went pale.

"I want to see your supervisor, right now," Bette repeated, staring Alice down and waiting expectantly for a response.

"Ms. Porter, I didn't mean to make you upset. I'm just an intern, this is my first day and I need this job to graduate," the words came spilling out in a rush and Alice felt her body go cold.

"Your supervisor, right now," Bette repeated again, unwavering.

Her body shaking, Alice slowly moved away from the counter and left to find her supervisor, Mitch who immediately rushed over. Watching them interact and hugging herself for comfort, Alice knew this was her last day as an intern at the LA Times courtesy of Bette Porter.

"You got Al fired?!" exclaimed Dana in shock. She knew Bette could be a bitch when it came to her work but she never thought she'd actually go and get someone fired. Especially someone who had nothing to do with the creating the actual situation Bette was upset about. "How could you get Al fired? She didn't do anything to you!"

"I was upset about Charles Reinwald," said Bette who, to her credit, appeared to be ashamed of her actions. "It was my first big exhibit and it was such a cou for me to get him over all of the others bidding for his work. The ad misprint made me look horribly unprofessional and I felt it would become a huge blow to my career."

"Meanwhile the wrong ad went and made that silly show more famous than the right one woulda," Kit broke into the conversation. Snorting at Bette, she then said, "And she went and got baby girl fired for nothing. Cold, I tell you. Damn cold."

"Thank you, Kit," said Bette sardonically to her sister. "I desperately needed yet another reminder of my own lax moral behavior. As if I wasn't already painfully aware of it myself."

"If you got Al fired how did end up dating her?" asked Dana, perplexed as to how firing would somehow leading to dating and romance.

Focusing on Dana and smiling sheepishly at the memory, Bette murmured, "When the exhibit was all said and done I felt horrible for what I had done. I went back to the Times and asked if they might reinstate her internship but they said she had already found other work. With a bit of luck and some persuading they finally told me she was at The Lesbian News out in Torrance."

"She bribed them," supplied Kit, interpreting for Dana with a smirk.

"Yes, well," Bette's skin darkened a tad and she coughed. "Needless to say, when I went to see her she was less than pleased..."

The doors to The Lesbian News opened and closed with a quiet swoosh and click but that didn't make the entrance of Bette Porter any less powerful. Especially not to Alice who, frankly, was still trying to get over the ramifications to her life from the last time she saw this woman.

When Bette approached the chaotic mismatch of desks and ignored the questions of her colleagues about needing help, Alice steeled herself mentally for whatever was to come. The moment Bette stopped in front of her, Alice held up a hand to halt what she was about to say.

"Are you here to do business with the magazine?" asked Alice calmly.

"No," said Bette sheepishly. "I wanted to--"

"Do you plan on doing business with the magazine anytime soon or at all?" Alice interrupted, calmly as ever.

"No," said Bette, frowning and looking confused. "I wanted--"

"Are you here to talk to my boss or anyone in a position of authority over myself and my internship?" said Alice, cutting Bette off yet again.

"No," said Bette, thoroughly frustrated. "I want--"

"Are you sure about all of that?" asked Alice dryly, folding her arms across her chest and studying Bette skeptically. "Really sure? Completely sure? Sure as deodorant sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," said Bette in exasperation, rolling her eyes at the joke. "I just want--"

"I don't care what you want," Alice said, sitting on the edge of her messy and small desk to peer up at Bette. "I know I'm only a lowly intern in your eyes. You know, a no nothing kid, a slacker from Generation X," the blonde did air quotes with the last words. "And I know that misprint was a big deal to you and the almighty Charles Reinwald but you know what? I had nothing to do with that and you damn well knew that too. But you were pissed and wanted to feel all high and mightier with your badass artsy self and get the stupid intern fired. Well, whee!" Alice threw her hands up and did a little rocking dance on her desk. "You got me fired, aren't you special! Don't you feel important now? Has your ego been sexually stroked?"

Blinking at the girl in front of her, a slow but sure smile formed on Bette's features and she asked in a drawl, "What's your name?"

"Great," pronounced Alice wearily, rolling her eyes. "It was a lie, right? You're here to place an ad for some lesbian art show that has cunninlingus acted out with fruit loops or something. And I've gone and inspired your wrath yet again thus leading to another firing that will have me seeking an internship at the LA PennySaver or some other free grocery store magazine. Fine," Alice waved at Bette. "Go ahead and do it. Call for the godlike being that is my supervisor."

"That won't be necessary if you just tell me your name," said Bette, her tones lowering into a smooth and husky rumble as she took a deliberate step towards Alice.

"Alice Pieszecki," said Alice, frowning in confusion and wondering why exactly the brunette was getting closer and closer to her with every second that passed.

"Alice Pieszecki," Bette drew the name out as if she was tasting it. Releasing a soft chuckle, she leaned forward until there was hardly any space between their faces, making it look as if a kiss was about to come in any second. "I came here to apologize for my behavior tell you that if you want it, your former internship at the Times is available for the taking."

"Gee whiz, you got me my job back that I never should have lost but did because of you, thanks so much," Alice replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes and scooting back on her desk. Putting her hands up in between their bodies she went on, "Don't you have a concept of personal space? Or do you get a kick out of making me uncomfortable?"

Smiling slowly, Bette's dark eyes flashed and made butterflies appear in Alice's stomach. Leaning forward, the brunette's hair brushed against her skin and made her shiver at the sensation. "If you would allow me the chance, I would love the opportunity to make you feel far more pleasant things," Bette whispered, her breath warm on the trembling and pale skin. Pulling back, the smile quirked on her lips when she saw the dumbfounded expression that Alice was wearing. Holding up a business card in between her index finger and thumb in an offering to Alice, she drawled, "My number. Please feel free to use it."

That said, Bette gave one last seductive smile then swept out of the offices of The Lesbian News much like she had arrived. With all eyes present transfixed on her.

Silence for a moment then Dana said in dazed wonder, "You were smooth." Grinning in delight at this new side to what she often considered her fairly tame friend, Dana continued, "You're like the queen of smooth! Shane's got nothing on you!" Looking excited to Kit, she asked, "Did you know she was that smooth?"

"Oh, I knew," Kit snorted at Bette who was looking tremendously proud of herself at hearing Dana's ode to her smoothness.

"Why must you make everything I did in that relationship have some type of unpleasant connotation?" asked Bette, fixing her gaze on Kit. "I know you didn't enjoy how it ended but I was the one dating Alice, not you. I'm not sure why you seem to take the greatest offense in the events that took place in a relationship you had no real part of."

"Maybe because I think if you'd had learned anythin' from what went on there you wouldn't be havin' the problems you got right now with Tina," said Kit wisely but with sharp attitude.

"That remark is completely uncalled for," Bette snapped and she was about to say more when Dana's voice, timid and lost, pierced the air to effectively stop her.

"I'm not smooth," murmured Dana and they weren't really sure if she was talking to them or herself. The athlete had her gaze fixed on the table and her fingers contracted into a fist to then slowly retract flat over the table in a robotic gesture. "I'm not smooth at all." Peering up at them helplessly, she said, "I can't be like that. Even if I tried to, I couldn't. That isn't me and no matter how hard I tried to be that way I couldn't. I'd just mess it up."

"Oh no, baby girl," exclaimed Kit, grabbing Dana's hands in her own and squeezing them tenderly. "That's not why I called her to talk with you. See, that's the thing," she murmured wisely. "I know everybody has this idea of what romance is in their heads, you know? And usually it's my sister," Kit smiled fondly and hooked her thumb at Bette who rolled her eyes. Letting go of Dana's hands to cup her chin so she would meet their gazes, she continued, "And they'd be wrong when it comes to your girl. She had that sorta thing nonstop in her life. From her family, from her friends, from the boys she'd date and to the girls. She had those smooth words, fine and pretty and perfect but in the end what are they?" When Dana shrugged and released an almost unheard sniffle, Kit patted her cheek tenderly. "Nothin' but words and words don't do anyone much good in the long run. But your actions? Oh, they do. Because, honey, actions are what counts, they show what you got in your heart better than words because they're real. They can't be erased or taken back or any of that useless trifling shit," said Kit both hearty and solemn in the enthusiasm of her statement. "That's what I wanted you to see with her, baby girl. Your words don't matter, your actions do." Dana smiled hesitantly at Kit who saw she was getting through and remarked, "You go on with your instincts. Show her in your own way how you feel and that's all she needs. Because it's real," Kit returned the smile then leaned forward to mock whisper as she gestured back at Bette. "What they had was smooth, yeah, but like chocolate pudding. Smooth and tasty and full of empty calories."

"And kept in an air tight plastic container," commented Bette in light acerbic humor.

"Okay," said Dana as she took a deep breath and rose to her feet. "I think I know what I have to do." She beamed at Kit and moved in for a hug. "Thank you so much for helping me. I know you didn't have to."

"Please, don't ever say that," scoffed Kit, squeezing Dana and smiling when they parted. "You know there's not much I find more important in life than takin' care of my favorite girls."

"Bette," Dana said her name in somber tones that made the art director jerk her head immediately up to meet their eyes. Dana smiled soft and sadly at Bette then reached down to rest a caring hand on the brunette's shoulder. "I don't think you're only pudding."

Blinking dimly at these words, when they finally registered Bette couldn't stop herself from laughing and replied, "Thank you, Dana. I'm relieved you consider me to be more than just a mixed substance of powdered sugar, cream, and melted chocolate."

"No problem," said Dana, laughing happily and waving to the sisters while she excitedly dashed out the door, weaving her way through the many patrons of The Planet. 

The Porter sisters watched her exit wearing matching expressions of wistfulness. Even if they didn't know precisely what Dana was planning they were sure that Alice would love it. In fact, they were sure they would probably love it too. What woman wouldn't when the gesture was coming from someone with such sincere and sweet intentions as Dana Fairbanks?

No woman with a romantic soul, that's what.

\---

Alice had barely stepped through the door to her apartment when warm hands covered her eyes and tender lips pressed against the nape of her neck. "Guess who?" a low voice sounded in her ear and she smiled on hearing it.

"The Easter Bunny? Santa? The Toothfairy?" said Alice teasingly, recalling the last time they had played this game. "Has the Toothfairy come to kidnap me and force me to help him build his horrible alter of teeth?"

"Eww," Dana's hands fell away and Alice chuckled on seeing the look of scrunched up disgust on the athlete's face. "Why did you bring up the alter of teeth, Al? You know that freaks me out. I really did think he had that, you know."

"I know," said Alice, still chuckling. She tapped the athlete on the nose and said in a secretive whisper, "But what I want to know is this..." When Dana instinctively leaned closer to hear what Alice said next, she continued playfully, "Why are we talking about the Toothfairy as if it is something that actually exists?"

Dana stared at Alice. Silence. Alice stared at Dana. More silence. And then Dana darted forward to grab Alice by the sides and tickle her fiercely. No longer silence but instead a loud burst of hysterical laughter. 

When the tickling was all done and Alice was taking deep breaths of air, tucked safely into Dana's arms, the tennis player said staidly, "It's better than talking about who would win in a fight: 42 midgets or a lion."

"God," Alice chuckled weakly, tired out from the tickling assault and nuzzling Dana's neck as she snuggled closer. "That was such a weird story wasn't it? I can't believe the stuff that goes on with the internet. Wait," she drawled sardonically, "that's such a lie. I totally believe it. I'm just surprised by the utter insanity sometimes."

"Mmm," murmured Dana thoughtfully. They remained in their embrace, then she ducked her head down, breath warm and tickling Alice's skin as she said, "I have a surprise for you, Al. But you have to do something to get it."

"A surprise with strings attached," Alice remarked moving slightly back but not enough to remove herself from the caring circle of Dana's arms. Her eyes narrowed in comedic suspicion. "Is this really a surprise I would want?"

"I think so," Dana said confidently, beaming at Alice.

Intrigued by the steady self assurance in blue eyes and loving the happy twinkle shining out at her, Alice tilted her head then said, "All right. What do I have to do?"

Returning the smile in full force, Dana pulled out a red bandanna from her pocket in a lavishly dramatic gesture and said, "Put this over your eyes."

"A blindfold?" asked Alice skeptically, staring at the bandanna and then up at Dana. "Why do I need to wear a blindfold?" Her expression grew naughty and she chuckled. "Is my surprise that we're going to be doing some sexual experimentation tonight?"

"Maybe some other time, but no, not tonight," Dana laughed and moved behind Alice and put the blindfold over her eyes then gently tied it. Once she had it on, she ducked her head to say in Alice's ear, "How does that feel? Is it too tight?"

"Nope. It's just right, Mama Bear," responded Alice humorously.

"I'm not sure I like that pet name," said Dana as she stood in front of Alice and held up three fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three," said Alice in droll tones.

"You can see?" Dana practically yelped in surprise. How could Alice possibly see through that red bandanna? She wrapped it over three times and it was thick enough to be an actual scarf. 

"No, I can't see," Alice responded and if Dana could see her eyes she was fairly sure they would be rolling. "You always hold up three fingers when you ask that question, Dane. Just like you always start off rock, paper, scissors competitions by being rock. You really do lack variety in your choices sometimes."

Since she couldn't see, Alice couldn't predict the light pinch to her butt that was coming. Though she could jump at it and she could rub her bottom as she pouted while Dana led her out the door. And she could try to use the pinch as guilt trip leverage during their drive to try and get Dana to tell her where they were going.

Not that any of this worked. But all the same, she could.

\---

People, people, people, and the screeching of seagulls were the sounds that greeted Alice's ears when Dana helped her still blindfolded self out of the Subaru. All of the noise made it nearly impossible for Alice to guess where they were but thanks to Dana's vague responses during her nonstop reporter interrogation on the half an hour drive, she was bursting at the seams to find out. Which was why she was hopping from side to side slightly.

"NOW can I take the blindfold off?" Alice demanded.

Chuckling at her girlfriend's impatience and loving that her plan seemed to be a good idea thus far, Dana moved to stand behind Alice. She carefully untied the blindfold and when it fell away her hands dropped to the blonde's waist. Resting her chin on the top of Alice's head, she studied the journalist's reaction and tried to gauge her response as best she could. Though it was hard since Alice seemed to be stupefied by the sight of Pacific Park, an amusement park long famous for being the only one on the West Coast to be located on an oceanfront pier. 

"Dana?" said Alice, confused and questioning as she turned around to face the athlete. 

"I wanted to take you on a date," Dana supplied an answer to the unspoken question. Her skin heated up and she wondered if this had been a good idea. Maybe Kit was wrong, maybe Alice did like smoothness. Stuff like fancy dinners, expensive clothing, and intellectual conversation. Maybe she wasn't the person who could give Alice what she had always been wanting. "You planned the last date, our only date," she said this part wryly. "And I wanted to do something for you..." Trailing off, she looked away from Alice as she went on, "I wanted to show you I love you by doing something that I thought you'd like." She bit down on her bottom lip and rambled on, "I remembered that you told me once your dad was supposed to take you to a carnival the weekend that he died and how you never got to go since your mom was so busy... I don't know," Dana exclaimed in frustration, running her hands through her hair, she looked at Alice anxiously. "This was a bad idea, right? I mean, it is depressing and besides that you probably want a real date. It's okay, Al. We can go home and get changed then I'll take you to the Tangier Lounge or--" She found her rush of words soon stopped by the soft press of Alice lips against her own, tasting and capturing her in a kiss of pure affection.

"It's perfect," Alice murmured in throaty tones, laughing through her tears and kissing Dana again. "This is the perfect date and you're perfect for even thinking of it." 

"I'm not perfect," argued Dana softly, reaching out to tenderly stroke Alice's cheek, smiling when the blonde leaned into her touch. "I'm just in love."

Smiling sweetly, Alice rose up to kiss Dana again and they parted with muted sighs from them both. Taking the tennis player's hand in her right hand while absently rubbing the unshed tears from her eyes with her left, Alice took in the sight before them. Frowning thoughtfully, she looked to Dana formed a false expression of solemnity which was given away by the sparkle in her gaze. "What do we ride first?" she asked in grim contemplation. "The roller coaster, the roller coaster, or the roller coaster?"

"Hmmm," Dana pretended to be in deep thought, tapping her chin and nodding her head. Smiling widely, she looked at Alice then said casually, "I think it has to be the roller coaster."

"Good choice!" declared Alice happily, swinging Dana's hand in her own and leading them over to the booth where they could buy their all day unlimited ride wrist bands. 

All day because if she had any choice in it, they would be staying here until the place was ready to close. As she took in the way Dana's eyes glowed, filled with a tender devotion that never failed to take her breath away, Alice knew without a doubt that she felt the same.

\---

Cotton candy was the greatest food ever made, Dana decided, watching Alice twist several strands off the cone to wrap around her finger and then stick said finger in her mouth to slowly suck on it. Yes, it was most definitely the greatest food ever made.

"Want some?" asked Alice with false innocence, knowing what she had been doing to her girlfriend. She waved what was left of the treat close to Dana's face, also knowing the athlete disliked snacks that were too sweet. "Come on," she wheedled. "You know you do."

"Ugh," Dana scrunched up her nose, stepping back from the cotton candy. "I hate things that are really sweet."

"But you liked seeing me eat it so much I figured you would want some. Don't you want to try just a little?" cajoled Alice, wrapping the last pieces of cotton candy around her finger as she tossed the cone in the nearest garbage can. She stepped up to the brunette and danced her cotton candy covered finger in front of her face. "Give it a taste."

"Al," said Dana warningly, pushing the hand gently aside. "Quit it."

But the protest was too late, Alice was already invested into the task of getting Dana to eat the last of her cotton candy. Using an overly sweet voice that matched the unhealthy treat, she bobbed her cotton candy wrapped finger in front of Dana to make it look as if it was talking. "Why don't you want to eat me, Dana? I taste yummy!" The finger tilted to one side and Alice said in saccharine yet sad tones, "Is it because I'm pink? Do you reject the color pink?"

"No, I don't reject the color pink," replied Dana huffily, scowling a bit. "I'm a lesbian so I have to like that color. At least on upside down triangles."

"Then is it because I'm poofy?" The cotton candy finger pressed on, bobbing side to side and moving closer to Dana's face. "Do you hate my sticky sweet pink poofiness? You being a lean mean tennis playing machine and all."

"No, it's not because you're poofy," said Dana with exasperation. Pausing after she said this when she came to the stark realization that she was actually having a conversation with Alice's finger that was wrapped in cotton candy.

"So why won't you eat me?" Alice grinned impishly, continuing to do her weird sweet voice and bobbing her cotton candy finger about. 

Her jaw setting and her expression almost grim, Dana smoothly leaned forward to take the cotton candy covered finger into her mouth. Slowly sucking and licking it with her tongue until none of the sticky sweet poofy pink candy monstrosity was left. Mesmerizing Alice into complete silence in the process.

Pulling away in what the journalist saw to be excruciatingly sexy slow motion, Dana smiled around Alice's finger and drawled, "There. I ate it. Are you satisfied?"

"Strangely, I'm not," said Alice dimly, finding herself still somewhat captivated as Dana chuckled and deposited a light kiss onto her lips.

Brushing back stray locks of blonde hair, Dana's eyes traced affectionately over Alice's pale features and she murmured, "Want me to win you something? I mean," she smirked and snuggled closer, whispering in the writer's ear. "We've been here for a few hours and I've yet to show off my considerable athletic prowess for you."

"You better fix that right away," said Alice, laughing and playing with the hairs at the nape of Dana's neck. "If you don't win me something then how can you put me out on display as your woman? Right now, as far as anyone can tell, I'm no one's property."

"This is a travesty!" Dana declared, releasing a mock gasp of horror while she pulled back. "Everyone here must know who you belong to! We must go," she said resolutely, taking Alice's hand in her own and leading her through the myriad of people. "I have to win something for you to cement my proof of ownership."

"We could just get property of Dana Fairbanks tattooed on my ass," remarked Alice in off hand tones, stopping with Dana in front of one of the many game booths.

The game they were looking at was the traditional sort where the player paid for three balls and then proceeded to throw the balls at the wall of milk bottles set up. A large variety of stuffed animals were the prizes and the more milk bottles you knocked over the better and bigger stuffed animal prize you won.

"What do you think?" asked Dana, looking to Alice who was already beaming and nodded her head energetically by way of response to Dana's question.

"Two dollars for three balls," said the game worker and Dana fished through the pocket of her blue jeans to produce the cash. "Here you go," the man said, handing Dana the balls when she passed him the money. "Good luck."

"Thanks," said Dana, grinning and cradling the balls as she faced Alice. "Can you hold some of these, baby?"

"To see you display your prowess? No problem," Alice announced happily, returning the grin and taking two of the balls to then step back to give Dana room. 

Dana started to wind up but stopped in motion to look at Alice who met her gaze with a confused expression. "Which one do you want?" asked Dana, appearing genuinely concerned that she had not bothered to inquire about this obviously important matter.

A joyful laugh bubbling up from her throat, Alice spun to face the game booth and nibbled on her bottom lip as she studied its many stuffed animal occupants. Finally, after long and careful examination, she pointed to a scrawny and entirely pathetic looking stuffed chicken. "I want that one!" Alice exclaimed.

"That one?" asked Dana skeptically, lifting an eyebrow. Even the game worker seemed amused, letting out a small chuckle at the writer's choice in prizes. "That just needs one milk bottle to win it, Al. Don't you want the bear or something? That takes ten milk bottles to get."

Looking at the enormous stuffed teddy bear that Dana nodded at which required many more milk bottles to win, Alice frowned then said firmly, "I want the chicken."

"Okay," said Dana, sighing and shaking her head. Not for the first time in her life she cursed the cuteness that, in her opinion, honestly did epitomize Alice. "Stuffed chicken, it is."

Bang! Thump! Second ball handed over. Bathump! Third ball handed over.

Easy as one, two, three all of the balls knocked over the milk bottles, seven more than needed in fact, and Alice was in possession of the stuffed chicken. Holding it tightly and tucking it under her chin as she beamed at Dana. "Thank you," she murmured, moving forward for a soft but lingering kiss that was somewhat tame considering they were in public. 

"I think the bear was a better prize," remarked Dana, putting an arm around Alice's shoulder. They were walking away from the game booth, the chicken remaining tucked under Alice's chin as she clung to it. "Why pick a stuffed chicken? People eat chickens."

"I like the chicken," Alice said, forming a halfway decent pout. "And I should get to pick what I want you to win for me, right?"

"Right," agreed Dana, sighing heavily and she paused in their walk when she caught sight of the ferris wheel. Her arm slid off of Alice's shoulders as she took a step closer to stare at it with an expression of awe. The structure towered high over them and in the dying light of day all of its lights were turned on and sparkled like bright diamonds against the sky. Moving in a slow steady pace, the carriages dangled over the ocean to give the people on board a perfect view of the sea. "Wow," she breathed. Dana looked to Alice wearing the little girl grin that the blonde so adored, holding her hand out to the other woman as she asked, "Do you want to ride it?"

"Yeah," said Alice, giving an answering smile and accepting Dana's outstretched hand. Knowing in that instant that wherever the athlete would go, she would follow. "I do."

\---

They tumbled inside of Dana's condo, kissing deeply and groping to the very best of their ability. In a casual toss, the stuffed chicken, an enormous teddy bear, and a goofy looking yellow hat with lightning bolts on it were thrown to the floor as they continued kissing while moving upstairs to the bedroom.

Dana kissed Alice slow and thorough, each kiss more profound than the last. Hotter, wetter, and fierce, so very fierce in the love and desire they revealed. When she pulled away, Alice felt weak in their aftermath but it was the look in blue eyes that made her nearly collapse.

The dark and undeniable passion reflected there shook Alice to her core. To think she caused that, she made Dana look that way blew Alice's mind. After all, who was she? Certainly not the kind of woman people wrote great sonnets about or even dedicated songs to. She was painfully normal and excruciatingly average.

In Alice's opinion there was nothing special about her. Sure she was cute but so were a lot of people. Especially in LA. Sure she was funny but there were funnier people who make a living out of it. Sure she was open sexually and highly invested in pleasing her lovers but come on! How many people honestly weren't like that? With all of that noted, how was it she could make Dana look at her that way?

Look at her as if she was everything Dana could ever want or need and that she was a five course gourmet meal that she couldn't wait to fill herself on. Alice didn't know how she managed to accomplish it but she would do anything in her power to make sure that look never went away just because now that she had seen it... seen someone look at her the way Dana was doing, god, how could she forget it? Forget and go back to the relationships that were fun and happy and nice but so very lacking in comparison to what Dana gave her.

She couldn't go back, plain and simple. Which was good because Alice didn't want to go back. No, not in the least. That she was positive of as a shiver ran down her spine when Dana's hands traced her sides in a fleeting caress. Holding Alice's hands in her own, Dana smiled softly then moved forward and whispered in her ear, "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

These words soothed Alice, despite the dull ache resounding in her body. Confused over Dana's exit, she said to the empty room in a daze, "Where would I go?"

And really, where would she go? She had no idea because these days, no matter how much she disliked clinginess, with Dana was the only place Alice wanted to be. Irregardless of the anxiety this plain truth created.

The sound of Macy Gray filtered through the air and drew Alice out of her reverie. She looked up to see Dana leaning in the doorway gazing at her with such love that for a moment she found herself forgetting to breathe. Seeing that Alice had finally noticed her presence, Dana smiled and pushed off the door frame and walked over to her.

"I love this song," said Alice quietly.

"I know," Dana replied, resting her hands on the writer's hips and gently tugging her forward. Their bodies pressed together, she dropped her head, putting their lips a breath apart as she murmured, "And I love you."

And then Dana kissed Alice, simple and sweet, pure in its intention and emotion. When she brought the kiss to a slow end, Alice stayed with her, lips clinging to Dana's, clearly not wanting it to end. Smiling at this, the athlete ducked her head to kiss the curve of her neck, trailing down to the collarbone while her hands slipped under Alice's shirt. Holding the hem in her grip, Dana stepped back and pulled the shirt off in one smooth movement. Tossing it aside, she wrapped an arm around Alice's waist and pulled her close, lowering her head to resume her path of kisses. Moving from the collarbone to full breasts, peering up to lock eyes with Alice as her free hand unsnapped the writer's bra. The material fell easily and Dana straightened up to pull it from Alice's body, removing it in an effortless motion.

That accomplished, Dana returned her attention to more important matters. Namely Alice's breasts and she moved to capture the pink nipple of the right breast in her mouth. Kissing and licking and sucking, tugging on the sensitive skin as it puckered at the touch. Moving onto the other, repeating the process, leading her kisses lower, pressing onto the flat skin of Alice's stomach as her hands stopped at the top of tailored pants.

Despite the music that filled the air, the noise of Dana pulling down the zipper to Alice's pants was noticeably loud. Maybe it was their minds playing tricks on them. Goodness knows Alice's head was swimming, dazed and lost in the sensations as warm hands tugged the soft cloth from her body, allowing cool air to hit her now bare legs.

Cool air was soon replaced by the heat of Dana's hands caressing upwards to rest flat at Alice's pussy, reveling in the slick sensation of black silk panties. Much as Dana relished the feel of silk and enjoyed the way the clothing clung to Alice's body she would much rather be touching impossibly soft skin and looking at it in all of its naked glory. Which was why she pulled the panties off in a single determined motion.

Smiling into Alice's skin at the gasp that just sounded, Dana peered up at the blonde, her blue eyes burning in ardent affection as she pressed a soft kiss onto her stomach. Holding their gaze, Dana slowly moved up Alice's body, kissing her along the way. Stopping only when she had risen to her full height, her face nuzzled into the crook of the writer's neck. Memorizing the feel of subtle quivers from the body pressing against her own as she wrapped an arm around Alice's waist to pull her close. Calming the shivers with the heat of her own skin.

"I love you, Al," whispered Dana, her declaration earnest and unquestionable in its honesty.

Cupping Alice's face in her hands, Dana smiled sweetly then kissed the blonde with a slow burning passion. Opening her up and tasting deep, tongue slipping inside to suck on Alice's. Delighting in the moans escaping the journalist from this attention. Moving Alice forward, hands holding her waist firm but tender, Dana pressed the blonde onto the soft mattress of the bed. Slipping a jean clad leg in between Alice's, grinding into her to create delicious friction. Dana's hands slid upwards, stroking pale skin in a detailed exploration. Alice pulled away from their kisses with a whimper, her head shaking side to side slightly.

"I want to see you," Alice said, her voice trembling and laced with need. Her eager hands reached for Dana's shirt, unbuttoning it efficiently and shoving it down the athlete's shoulders as she rose up to kiss her hard. Muttering against her lips, "I want to touch you."

Flinging her shirt away, Dana grinned happily and pulled Alice to her, kissing her deeply as she echoed with her own mutter, "Then help undress me already."

Brown eyes sparkled and Alice returned the grin, kissing Dana with enthusiasm, removing her bra while doing so and pushing her onto the mattress. Sliding down to unzip the tennis player's jeans. In one easy pull, they came off and soon cotton panties followed. Lowering her body onto Dana's and reveling in the feel of skin on skin, Alice kissed the athlete's neck, sucking on tanned skin, nuzzling it as she murmured in pleased tones, "Much better."

"Happy?" asked Dana playfully, enjoying the expression of extreme satisfaction Alice had worn at finally getting her naked.

"Deliriously," replied Alice, her tones light and joyful but utterly truthful in the sentiment they held. Kissing Dana again, she murmured into her in a whispered confession, "You make me happy, Dana. So fucking happy."

"So fucking happy, huh?" Dana repeated the words with a chuckle, her hands caressing the elegant curve of Alice's neck to play with the soft hairs at the nape. 

"Yeah," drawled Alice, moving in for another kiss. "So fucking happy."

She kissed Dana in a detailed study, long and hard, tugging on her lips, pulling away only to return at different angles, kissing Dana with such attentive focus the athlete thought she could come from it alone. Wanting to give as well as take, Dana tangled her fingers in messy blonde locks, matching Alice's rhythm in kiss to kiss, both exploring deep and endless.

They only parted when Dana's hand slid down to slip two fingers inside Alice, shuddering with satisfaction at the slippery wet evidence of the blonde's desire for her. The journalist's lips separated from hers with a gasp as she said Dana's name in a throaty utterance. She slid her body down, effectively thrusting Dana's fingers further inside her as she returned the favor, looking deep into the brunette's eyes as she entered her.

"I want us to come together," said Alice breathlessly. Reaching up to meet Dana's lips for a lingering kiss. "I want to feel you come with me, Dana."

"Al," Dana groaned, her head moving to one side, pressing into the pillows, her body arching into the blonde's steady thrusts as she tried to match the pace. Rising up to capture Alice's lips in a kiss, she said in a gasp, "I love you."

"Dana," Alice said her name in loving devotion, pausing in her thrusts, stunned by the raw emotion being displayed. "I love you too," she said, her voice rough yet tender. After saying this, the blonde dove forward to capture Dana's lips for a fervent kiss, trying to absorb all the love she had just seen and returning the sentiment whole heartedly. When they parted she released a teary and emotional laugh. "I so fucking love you."

Dana returned the laugh only to have it cut off with another gasp and moan when Alice resumed her pace, touching her in places that no one ever had before, her now thumb lightly circling the athlete's clit. Her back instinctively lifting up off the bed, Dana mimicked the writer's actions and their bodies slid together in a desperate movement, striving with everything in them for that final perfect release.

Relief came for Alice first, her muscles clenching around Dana's long fingers thanks to the added pressure on her clit. The orgasm swept over her waves, drowning her in the addictive sensation of Dana's touch. While this happened Alice gave a final hard thrust into Dana, sending the tennis player shuddering over the edge.

They sank onto the bed together, a single mass of tired and tangled limbs, snuggling into the nooks and crannies of their bodies to be as close as humanly possible. Basking in the glowing aftermath as the song lyrics sounded in the air.

"Would I ever find, just a true love. That we come this far together. So I'm here to stay. Because without you baby, I can't go any further."

\---

"This should be fabulous," Tonya announced in hearty enthusiasm, snapping open her briefcase. "I've spent some time talking with Bill and Aaron, those are the marketing execs in charge of your campaign at Fila," she informed Dana, turning to her and lightly touching her arm. "And they're bursting with ideas for Gay Pride. It's going to be an event!"

"An event," echoed Dana doubtfully, frowning and looking to Frank. Thus far she had enjoyed everything Tonya had arranged for her but she wasn't sure how good she would be at handling an event. "Am I really equipped for that kind of thing, Tonya?" she asked, letting her worries rise to the surface. "I'm a tennis player, you know. I don't really entertain people on purpose. I play a sport and people watch me play because I happen to do it well." She formed a wry smile then added in sardonic tones, "Or they watch because now I'm famous for being a lesbian and they like how I look running around in a tiny white skirt."

Tonya stared at Dana then looked around her to focus her gaze on Frank as she said to him, "She sounds like you. Are you influencing our client with your staid brand of gay man humor? If so, I must say now I'm not pleased with this outcome. It makes her less charming."

"Really?" asked Frank humorously, arching a bushy eyebrow. "I happen to think she's fabulously sexy like this."

"You would," Tonya pronounced the words with a pop and narrowed her eyes. "And again, I point out the fact that you're a gay man. We want lesbians and straight men to like her. Maybe even some straight women too." Tilting back in her chair and grinning largely, Tonya waved her hands expressively about. "Dana can be the great tennis playing converter."

"Way too much pressure," Dana groaned in exaggeration, she thumped her head down onto the conference table and peered at the other woman. "I'm just one insignificant athlete, not the great lesbian Buddha, Tonya. Lets not get delusions of grandeur, all right?"

"I think all delusions should be grand," said Tonya with a sniff, not seeming affected by Dana's sudden anxiety about the Fila promotion and Gay Pride. "Why settle for less in our fantasies?"

"I hate to say it but she does make sense," mused Frank, rubbing his chin and grinning at Dana who was now focused in his direction, her head still resting on the conference table.

"Traitor," uttered Dana, solemnly staring him down.

"Ladies!" An exuberant voice boomed in the air and Dana sprang into a sitting position as she turned to look at the figure of Bill Wexler, the head of Fila's marketing team. Bill's grin faltered a tad on seeing Frank and he smoothly added, "And gentleman. How are we all doing today?"

"Good! We're good," chirped Dana, trying to return his bright smile and somewhat failing just because Bill's smile had the shiny bright power of a florescent bulb. "You?"

"I'm fantastic now that I'm in this meeting with you, Dana," drawled Bill, his smile turning brighter yet and Frank seemed to squint at it in order to survive. "So!" he clapped his hands together and took a seat across from them at the table. "Have you told them anything along the lines of what we've discussed, Tonya?"

"Not yet," said Tonya, who was attempting to return Bill's smile at full force and almost succeeding. "I take it that you might have some new ideas up your sleeve though?"

"Right you are," replied Bill with a laugh. He flipped open a large leather binder to reveal several artistic mock ups. "As you know, when we first got into this venture there was an idea of doing a joint promotion with Subaru for Gay Pride. The further we got into discussion with them, the more we discovered they wanted to go a more traditional route." Tonya nodded solemnly at this and Bill focused on Dana as he spoke. "They're going to be working on a float for you in conjunction with the Gay and Lesbian Center."

"Really?" Dana's eyes went wide and she grinned happily, looking to Frank who returned her grin. "The Gay and Lesbian Center? That's great!" She stopped as she realized who she was in a meeting with and said quickly, "I'm sure what you have mind is great too though!" 

"Of course," said Bill slowly and Dana couldn't be sure but she thought maybe she saw a glimmer of annoyance arise in his gleaming gaze. It was hard to tell with how sparkly it was next to his perpetual smile. "Anyway!" he announced, pushing the leather binder over to Dana and encouraging her to flip through it with a nod. "What we had in mind was something a little more fun that would let you get involved with your fans. We were thinking a game show." 

"A game show?" echoed Dana with a frown, flipping through the drawings of the stage they had in mind along with a few other things.

"We've already talked to Megan Guerrero's people and she is totally on board with hosting it," Bill barreled on, his grin quirking up when he saw Dana repeat Megan's name in a bit of shock. "The game would basically be split into two parts. First portion being trivia where we weed out your true fans in a fast round question and answer period hosted by Megan. Then from there the top three contenders get to play in the second game portion which would be like the Dating Game, with the winners on one side of a partition and you on the other. Whoever gives the best answers to the questions we come up with gets to spend an hour or so with you at Gay Pride courtesy of Fila. Well?" he paused in his spiel to beam widely and study Dana with a bright but very sharp gaze. "What do you think?"

"The Dating Game," said Dana faintly. She bit on her bottom lip nervously and looked from Tonya to Frank before focusing back on Bill again. "That sounds nice and all but..."

"But what?" asked Bill in altogether friendly tones. So friendly that Dana felt herself becoming more nervous on hearing them.

"But I have a girlfriend," said Dana almost meekly.

"Oh, Dana," Bill proclaimed, laughing long and hard, slapping the table and taking the binder back into his hold. "We're not talking about a real date! I mean, for gods sake no," he shook his head. "We just think this would be a great fun and hip way for you to interact with your fans and promote Fila in the process." He paused to study Dana and asked lightly, "Don't you think that this would be a fun thing to do with your fans?" Leaning back in his seat a bit, Bill lifted up both his eyebrows in a motion that somehow reminded Dana of Alice and made her relax slightly. "Did you ever watch the real Dating Game, Dana?"

"Yeah, I watched it," said Dana, frowning.

"They had chaperones for it, you know," said Bill wisely. "I promise you now we'll do the same for you. We certainly don't want you to be uncomfortable!" He leaned into the table and grinned then gave a wink as he said conspiratorially, "I mean, what the hell. You can even bring your girlfriend along. Just don't tell the fan it's her, right?"

Suddenly feeling completely at ease at the idea of this promotion, Dana really returned his grin for the first time since the meeting began and replied, "Right!" 

"That a girl," drawled Bill, matching Dana's grin.

Neither of them particularly noticing that both Tonya and Frank had similar expressions of veiled concern etched onto their faces.

\---

"Show me yours, I'm gonna show you mineeee," Ed and Alice sang together, hanging onto each other and leaning into Carmen who sat with them on the comfortable couch in the back of The Planet. Along with Kit, they were gathered to discuss what would be going on entertainment wise at The Planet during Gay Pride.

Alice was there to introduce Ed to Kit because she had expressed an interest in having a band play at The Planet on Saturday night in order to give Carmen time off to enjoy the festivities. The meeting had gone fantastically and now Ed was busy displaying with Alice the various gay oriented songs they would be playing as well as taking requests for. 

"Girl, that song is messed up," Kit wheezed through her laughter, wiping the tears from her eyes and setting back into her super comfortable recliner. "I don't know if I can take it if you all are gonna be playin' that around me. I might crack up again."

"At least they didn't smush you while making you die from laughter," said Carmen through her own chuckles, shoving playfully at Alice who thumped into Ed with a slight pout.

"Carmen dislikes me," said Alice, her eyes huge and watery as she peered at Ed. "She really, really, dislikes me!"

"Oh, Ali baby, I still worship the ground you skip upon," said Ed, cupping her face in his hands and looking deep into her eyes. "Dump your tanned muscular tennis player and run away with me! We can start our own commune for wannabe rockers!"

"Oh, Ed," said Alice, going along with his soap opera routine and clutching his hands to her chest. "I would run away with you if not for the fact that you happen to be a huge gay boy who I know once threw up at the sight of a woman's vagina."

"Oh Ali..." Ed trailed off as his face scrunched up. He tilted his head and looked at Alice with bewilderment. "When did I throw up looking at a woman's vagina?"

Bursting into laughter at the sudden stop to their game, Alice resumed her regular sitting position and sank back onto the couch. "That night we couldn't sleep in college and ended up flipping channels," reminded Alice. "We somehow got stuck on Discovery Channel and a woman giving birth. You barfed all over the place and I had to clean it up."

"That shouldn't count!" said Ed fiercely, pointing at Alice. "I bet plenty of women would throw up at that! You needn't pin that on my gay boyness. Birth is a nasty, nasty, thing."

"Lord yes," said Kit wisely, holding up her hands. "As a woman who has experienced it, I do say an amen. Givin' birth is somethin' that will indeed make strong men and women lose ahold of their stomachs." She snorted and said humorously, "I don't know where all this bull crap about the miracle of birth comes from. It can be nasty stuff, the boy is right."

"Thank god I don't plan on ever doing it," said Carmen, heaving a sigh.

"You're dating the right dyke for that too," remarked Alice wisely, giving a grin. "I can't see Shane as the motherly type."

"I don't know," mused Kit, her eyes growing lidded as she considered it. "Baby girl is awful calm... reminds me of a kinda zen quality, you know? I bet she'd be real level headed with a child. Plus she's gotta sincere type of sweetness to her."

At Kit's words, Alice and Carmen appeared to be contemplating the idea of Shane as a mother rather seriously. After a long while, Carmen murmured wistfully, "I think Kit's right. Shane would be a good mother, wouldn't she?"

While she did agree with this opinion upon thinking it over, Alice couldn't help but be amused by Carmen's moony expression. That's why she then said mischievously, "I guess someone is taking back their vow to never do pregnancy."

"No way!" Carmen said quickly, whipping around to face Alice. "Shane is the motherly one, not me. She can do the pregnancy." Folding her arms over her chest, Carmen then muttered to herself, "My woman could use a few more pounds on her skinny body." Noticing a familiar gleam arising in Alice's eyes, she decided to cut her friend off at the joking pass and remarked slyly, "I take it your little performance means you're going to be singing for us with Ed during the Saturday night of Planet Pride?"

"Oh no," Alice held up her hands and shook her head strongly. "I am not singing anywhere with anyone." She looked to Ed and added, "No offense, sweetie."

"None taken, pookie," replied Ed sweetly.

"Why not sing for us, baby girl?" asked Kit, frown lines gathering on her strong features. "I thought your voice sounded damn good and you do still keep up with your music, dontcha? You told me yourself that you did."

"By myself, yeah, Kit," said Alice with a sigh. When Ed opened his mouth to speak, she put her hand over it and said to him, "Don't say a word. That's totally different and you know it."

"I don't get it, Al," said Carmen, also confused. She had brought this up to tease Alice but she did think the blonde was a good singer and that was only from a few verses she heard when the woman was joking around. Surely what Alice sounded like when she was serious had to be a thousand times better. "Why not sing? You like doing it, don't you?"

"First off, I'm going to be way busy," said Alice, rolling her eyes. "There's the KCRW booth," she ticked off a finger as she said this.

"Breast judging/KCRW booth," corrected Ed impishly.

"Breast judging/KCRW booth," Alice held up the still ticked off finger and rolled her eyes at the correction. "Then there's Dana's Subaru promotion," she ticked off another finger. "And then Dana's Fila promotion," she ticked off yet another finger. "To round it all off there will be a final KCRW booth," she looked at Ed with a dry expression. "One that won't involve breast judging and then I have to help nincompoop," Alice rapped Ed on the side of his head, "set things up on Saturday night." She held up her hand that had all her fingers and the thumb ticked off. "Way busy, see? Way too busy to go singing onstage when that's not what I do anymore."

"Uh huh," Kit drew the words out in tones that drowned in skeptical disbelief, folding her arms across her chest. She looked ready to say something more but was distracted by the sight of someone approaching. Smiling widely, she drawled, "Funny that you go walkin' yourself in here. We were just talkin' about you." 

"Yeah?" rumbled Shane, lifting an eyebrow in speculation and settling down to perch at the end of the couch next to Carmen. "What were you saying?"

"We were sayin' how we think you'd make a good mama to some lucky child," said Kit kindly, beaming happily at Shane who immediately turned red at the compliment.

Ducking her haphazard and gravity defying head of hair, Shane rubbed the back of her neck and muttered, "That's stupid... why would you guys talk about that?"

"Because we think it's true," murmured Carmen in reply and she scooted up to tangle her fingers in Shane's hair while she spoke softly in her ear. Whatever Carmen said made Shane turn darker red and nuzzle into Carmen's neck as the other woman smiled and held her close. 

Not wanting to intrude on a private moment that had inadvertently occurred in public, the remaining three drew their attention to the large open doorway to The Planet just in time to see Dana walking through it. The tennis player was dressed in one of her power suits that served to... well... make her look powerful. At least, powerfully hot in Alice's opinion. Except for the jacket though. For some reason the jackets on Dana's power suits never quite fit her right. It was something that was in desperate need of fixing.

That thought being foremost in her mind was why Alice said to Dana when she finally joined them, "We need to take your jackets to get fitted."

"What?" asked Dana in confusion, her brow furrowing. She had been planning on maybe possibly somehow or another telling Alice about the Dating Game promotion in a place where the blonde might not throw a fit or get too hurt. The Planet was as good as anyplace, she figured, but now Alice was throwing her off with a weird opening statement. "What's wrong with my jackets?" she looked at herself self consciously.

"The cut is off," said Alice, waving her hands up and down in a vague gesture. "They fit you poofy and weird. Everything else is hot about the suit but the jacket. Here, I'll show you," Alice announced, leaping to her feet to stand behind a very perplexed Dana. Grinning big at her audience as she now had everyone's attention, including some of the nearby tables. She cleared her throat and held Dana's hand up as she stood next to her. "Here we have a prime example of lesbianas hottus in her most attractive attire... the power suit," Alice drawled with a waggle of her eyebrows, making Shane chuckle. "As we can see the pants perfectly accentuate her posterior," Alice carefully turned Dana around and made a Vanna White type motion to her ass. "While her shirt puts emphasis on the lovely curves of her breasts," she went on, doing the gesture again only to have her hands whapped at by Dana who had come out of her shock finally. "But what kills the lesbianas hottus picture? Oh yes, the poofy jacket which doesn't help show off the lovely feminine delicacy of her shoulders or the strong muscular definition of her back. No!" Alice said dramatically, pushing down on the puffy material that sprang back up at her touch. "Instead it makes her look like a linebacker or some other football player. Yes, I say to you now, the jacket must go," said Alice in utterly somber tones. She paused to grin playfully then shrugged before saying, "Or at least get fitted properly." She gave a small but extravagant bow. "Lecture over."

The Planet patrons who witnessed this impromptu educational session burst into applause, causing Dana to turn bright red and drag an sheepishly smiling Alice out the door. Making all who watched this exit wonder just what the blonde had in store for her.

\---

"Dane, I'm sorry, I am," Alice said in honestly apologetic tones, her face etched with worry as she followed Dana into her condo. "I just got caught up in playing around, you know how I can get. And I should've known to stop, I know that! I'm a big dumbass... but please talk to me?"

She had been apologizing for the past fifteen minutes on the drive back to the athlete's house and frankly, the lack of reply was starting to make her nervous. Had what she done really been that bad? Alice knew it was over the top and a little on the insensitive side but she was a realist about herself and it honestly wasn't all that horrible when compared to other stunts she had pulled. Especially involving Dana in the span of their long friendship. True things were different now that they were dating and in love but still...

Was it that bad?

The thing that Alice didn't know was that Dana was using her apologies and the incident as an excuse to gather her own thoughts to try and figure out how to tell Alice about the upcoming Gay Pride promotions. She wasn't sure why but the more she considered the Dating Game, no matter how good and innocent type of fun it had sounded in the meeting, she just knew Alice wouldn't like it. The problem was she had already agreed to doing it... signed on the dotted line and all of that so she couldn't go back on it and... god... what would she do if Alice hated it? Really and truly hated it? Or worse yet, got hurt by it? The type of hurt that made Dana want to rip the world apart for allowing Alice to ever feel that way. 

Just thinking about it tied her stomach up in knots. 

"Al," Dana started off hesitantly.

"I'm sorry," said Alice anxiously. She moved close to Dana and held her face in a tender caress. "I didn't try to hurt your feelings or embarrass you on purpose. I could never do that to you. I love you," she whispered fervently, pressing a kiss onto the athlete's lips that was clearly meant to express that emotion.

"I love you too," said Dana with a gasp, her head tilting back as Alice sucked on her neck lightly and caused a moan to escape her lips. "And I'm not upset about what happened at The Planet. I mean, I guess I am but not really..." She groaned low in her throat when Alice cupped a breast and nibbled on her earlobe. "But I need to talk to you."

"Why do we need to talk?" said Alice in a mutter, moving forward to capture Dana's lips in a kiss that quickly intensified. She easily slipped her tongue into the other woman's mouth to taste, tug, and explore. Showing the athlete how much she loved her and how sorry she was for any pain she had caused. When they parted, Alice tangled her fingers in wavy brown hair and looked at Dana with brown eyes dark from passion. "Damn if you can't kiss," she purred, one hand lowering to hook its fingers into the belt loops of Dana's pants. Tugging her towards the bedroom and causing the tennis player to lose all memory of what she was supposed to be telling the journalist. 

When they reached the bedroom, Alice turned around to hold Dana's hands then stepped closer, nuzzling into the brunette's neck, kissing the skin. "Al," Dana said her name with a gasp. She knew she had to tell Alice about Gay Pride and the promotion with Fila, she knew if she didn't it would only end up hurting Alice in the long run, she knew that but she found it impossible to concentrate on that with Alice kissing and sucking on her pulse point. Sure hands rested on her hips, pushing her gently forward to then lower her down, making her sit on the nearby chair that had been a gift from Dana's mother. "Al," Dana tried again. "I need to--"

"You need to let me apologize for being an asshole," interrupted Alice, straddling Dana's lap and scooting down to rest their faces side by side before kissing the line of the brunette's jaw. A hand reached up to hold a breast in a warm touch while the other slipped under Dana's shirt to rest against her abdomen. Her breath tickling the athlete's skin, Alice murmured low and husky, "I want to show you, Dana. I want to show you how fucking hot I think you are. I want to show you why just thinking about you is enough to get me off." Trailing her kisses over Dana's jaw until they were face to face, eye to eye, and the athlete felt herself immediately grow wet at the look of raw lust in brown eyes. "You're the sexiest woman I've ever seen," said Alice roughly. Then she moved quickly forward to capture Dana's lips in a scorching kiss.

"Al," Dana moaned her name, unable at this point to say anything else. Especially as nimble fingers worked their way under the hem of her pants to play at the edge of her pussy.

"I love you, Dana," Alice said the words fierce and guttural, soaked through with passion as she slid her fingers over the lips to Dana's pussy. Making the tennis player arch into Alice, resting her hands on the blonde's hips out of the base and desperate need to have something to hang onto. Alice's thumb lightly caressed Dana's clit, increasing then decreasing the pressure as she rocked into the athlete for another kiss. "You feel so good," she breathed against Dana when they separated for air. "I want to feel more of you. I want to go deeper, do you want that?"

"Yes, Al, please," groaned Dana, lifting into Alice as the blonde slid a single finger inside. Her head tossed back against the chair and she bucked her hips into Alice. "Go deeper."

Chuckling softly, Alice kissed Dana hard, slipping a tongue into the tennis player's mouth. Discovering all over again the intricacies of the brunette in an attempt to memorize all there was to learn. Only to then pull back and change the tilt of her head before diving in to learn it one more time. Kissing the athlete endless and unhurried, feeding on Dana as she increased the number fingers to begin a relentless thrusting. She lifted anxiously into Alice, matching her pace, lips clinging to Alice's when the kisses ended.

Their eyes locked as Dana rode Alice's fingers brutal and unmerciful, forcing the writer to go further inside until not even the most minute space existed between them. Alice applied sharp pressure to the athlete's clit, making her gasp and close her eyes at the sensation.

"No," Alice growled the word, her free hand holding Dana's face in a tight grasp. "Open your eyes, Dana. Open your eyes and see how much I want you. Look at me and see what you do to me. I want you to know... I want you to see."

"Al," Dana shuddered her name, prying her eyes open with great effort to look at the blonde. Struck like lightning by the overwhelming expression of absolute carnal lust that she saw on the pale features in front of her. "I love you."

Holding Dana's gaze and keeping up the rhythm of her thrusts, Alice moved forward, resting their foreheads together. "I love you too, baby," she husked. "Now come for me."

Those words combined with the sudden pressure on her clit and the strong upward thrust of all four fingers inside of her sent Dana screaming over the edge. Climaxing with a loud cry of release, putting all her energy and effort into keeping her eyes open in order to see Alice. See the devastating and starkly honest desire the blonde held for her. Then she sank bonelessly into the journalist, face buried in her neck, moaning when skilled fingers slipped out of her. Comforting hands ran up her sides to rub her back in a circular motion as Dana tried to recover from the whirlwind of passion that had managed to sweep her up so very thoroughly.

Several minutes passed as Dana continued to try and regain her senses while Alice waited patiently. When the blonde felt the body against hers calm the nonstop wave of tremors that were emanating from it, she said in gruff tones that were thick with emotion, "Did you see?"

"I saw," was Dana's shaky reply, her body and mind drained from the emotional and physical intensity of what they had just experienced. Her mind a thousand miles away from the discussion of Gay Pride and Fila as she echoed softly again, "I saw."


	3. Chapter 3

The universe was plotting against her. That was what Dana had decided as she walked into her condo with Alice after just trying in her car to tell Alice about the Dating Game promotion for the ninth time. Now Dana considered herself an honest person despite the fact she had been hiding her sexual orientation for years. Something that a lot of people might considerto be rather deceptive. Dana was honest because she was the first person to cop to the fact that yeah, it was deceptive in the plain truth of the word. 

Just like she would cop to being a little relieved each time the universe conspired against her and she lost yet another chance to tell Alice about the game show. Mostly because she knew how hurt the blonde would ultimately be.

Alice being Alice, she would deny the hurt. Though Dana might see it actually appear on the journalist's face for a brief glimmer of time but quick as a flash it would be gone and Alice would hide its very existence. She would insist everything was fine and it was no big deal. It's Dana's work, right? And she wants to support Dana in her career always because that's part of loving Dana. The tennis player saw this scenario play clearly on the TV in her mind.

The scene was on repeat in Dana's head. Over and over that look of pure honest hurt Alice would wear before masking her real feelings for Dana's sake. Imagining the look was so very awful the athlete couldn't quite grasp what it would be like when she saw it in person. That's why as much as she railed against the universe for stopping her from telling Alice she was in a way secretly glad. Because Dana just did not want to see the blonde wearing that expression and know she was one who caused it.

Meanwhile, Alice covertly watched Dana as she had ever since the athlete became introspective, well, more introspective than usual when their conversation in the car got interrupted by a phone call from Ed. It didn't help matters that the call had gone on up until only a few seconds ago and it was entirely vague in nature, leaving Dana with very little idea of what they were discussing. Alice couldn't really help that though. Along with the band and Rich, she and Ed had come up with, in her opinion, possibly the most fun form of audience participation at a concert in years. She wasn't someone who entertained grandiose notions but Alice truly believed what they had planned was something special. Which was why she was working nonstop with Ed, the band, and Rich to make sure they pulled it off perfectly on Saturday night.

Now she wondered if in the process she had been neglecting Dana. Something that didn't settle well with Alice at all. But how to fix it? Alice nibbled on her bottom lip and started to toss her keys carelessly onto the coffee table as she'd done countless times before. Much to Dana's anal retentive irritation. Her eyes caught sight of the fancy key rack hanging on the wall by the door and a huge grin lit on Alice's features. She spun around to purposefully face Dana who met her stare blankly.

"What?" asked Dana both baffled and strangely frightened by the gleam shining out of the journalist's dark brown eyes.

"I have a present for you," purred Alice, advancing on Dana who had to fight an instinctive urge to take a step backwards. 

"What kind of present?" Dana frowned, thinking of the conversation they had in bed right before they left on the Olivia cruise.

"A very special one," said Alice in a drawl. Standing in front of Dana and reaching towards her in a slow seductive motion.

The leisurely movement combined with the gleam in Alice's eyes and the smile on her face made Dana tremble in anticipation. Alice was closer yet, her lips seeming just a breath from Dana's for a kiss. Her eyelids started to flutter shut just as the athlete felt Alice reach over her shoulder only to flutter right back open when she heard the plunking evidence of the writer hanging her keys onto a peg of the provided rack.

Looking at Alice with an utterly stunned expression, Dana took in the face of total glee the blonde wore. "There!" she proclaimed proudly. "I finally used my special peg on your key rack. Aren't you proud of me?"

"Al?" said Dana faintly, still confused over not having received a kiss or at least a grope.

"Your key rack!" said Alice in a way that emphasized the importance she currently found in the object. "You hate it when I throw my keys around, right? Just leave them lying everywhere? Well, look," Alice waggled her eyebrows humorously. She then did a Vanna White hand gesture to where her keys hung underneath her name painted in fancy yellow script. "I'm using the key rack." The writer formed an exaggerated pout and stepped up to Dana, toying with the hairs at the nape of her neck as her hands wound around the tennis player's neck. "You're not happy?"

"No, no, I mean, yes," Dana groaned, closing her eyes and sighing at the sensation of Alice playing with her hair. When she opened her eyes she saw the blonde smiling sweetly at her and moving forward for a kiss. Laughing into the brief and mischievous nature of the kisses pressing onto her lips, Dana murmured, "I'm always happy with you."

"But are you happy that I hung my keys up on their special place on the rack?" pursued Alice, her eyes twinkling.

"I'm SO happy," said Dana somberly, nodding her head and grinning as she walked forward taking Alice along with her. "I can't say how happy I am about you finally using the key rack. I mean, I took the trouble of painting your name there and everything!" she exclaimed, looking offended. "And still you rejected my key rack. I felt like crying at times."

"Was it traumatizing for you?" asked Alice, wearing a sympathetic expression.

"I was very close to seeking therapy," Dana confessed as she dropped her hands to Alice's waist and pulled the blonde to her while she plunked down on the couch. 

Laughing and settling herself on Dana's lap so she was perched off to one side, her back leaning into the large arm rest, Alice curled wavy brown hair around her index finger. "Poor baby," she crooned, moving to nuzzle the athlete's neck. "You practically had a nervous breakdown because of me."

"Practically," repeated Dana teasingly who soon moaned low in her throat as Alice began sucking on her neck and her hand slipped up to cup one of the tennis player's breasts. "Al," she managed to say through a gasp. "I need to talk to you."

"About what?" asked Alice, smiling impishly into Dana's skin before licking a pathway to her ear. She almost started to repeat the motion at the automatic groan that the brunette released but gentle yet firm arms held her shoulders and pushed her backwards. She blinked in confusion at the look on Dana's face. It seemed to her almost as if the tennis player was trying to work up courage to tell Alice something but what that was she didn't have the slightest clue. What worried her more though, was the hint of fear that the other woman had about her. The last thing Alice ever wanted was for Dana to be afraid to tell her anything... hell, to just be afraid period. That reminded her far too much of the years when the brunette was in the closet and had been in a state of constant fear that her sexual orientation would be exposed. "Dana," she said in a gentle murmur, her voice laced with deep concern as she tenderly cupped the athlete's cheek. "What's the matter?"

Swallowing nervously and closing her eyes to help gather her courage, Dana opened her mouth and an irritating series of high pitched ding dings sounded in the air. Together they both peered towards the front door and pondered over just who was standing behind it.

And, of course, that was when they heard the distinctive voice of a certain teenager shout, "I can see your shadows through Dane's cheap curtains! I know you guys are in there now stop having sex or almost having sex and let me in! I demand bonding time with my big sis!"

"Howie?" Alice and Dana said his name together in similar states of surprise.

Recovering far quicker than her girlfriend, Alice crawled off of Dana's lap and bounded to the front door. Leaving the tennis player to regain her wits and realize that once again the universe had plotted against her and won.

Damn the universe. It really did have to be destroyed.

\---

"It's totally weird," Alice mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste, leaning in the doorway to the bathroom and peering at Dana who was tugging on a pair of jogging shorts. "There's no way he didn't know it's Pride, right? I know your family is all with the Republican vibe but they're pretty okay with you being gay and you told them about the Subaru and Fila stuff. So how does he not know it's Pride and we're going to be all up with the gay thing this weekend?" Turning around to head back into the bathroom and spit out the toothpaste, she called out, "It's weird, Dane. Admit it!"

"I guess," said Dana, shrugging into her Fila tank top and contemplating how to go about talking to Alice about the game show this time. Or maybe she should give up already. The universe was clearly out to foil her confessing plans when it involved the Dating Game fiasco. "I think Mom was driving him crazy and he wanted away from her. Teenagers don't really think about causing other people problems, Al." She grinned wryly at Alice who lifted an eyebrow as she looked at her from the bathroom doorway. "That's why they're teenagers."

"Maybe," mused Alice, shoving off the doorway and walking over to the bed to help Dana pull back the covers. She peered up at the brunette while they were doing so and said in what she hoped were casual tones, "What did you want to tell me before the teen titan arrived?"

"The Fila promotion," Dana decided that would be the best way to start. To simply talk about the promotion itself. "You know how I told you they're not working with Subaru anymore? How it's going to be two separate events?"

"Sure," said Alice happily, smiling at Dana and climbing under the covers to sit on the bed, looking expectantly at the tennis player to continue.

"Bill, the Fila marketing guy," added Dana quickly, sitting across from Alice in a cross legged position. Despite her nerves she was unable to help smiling when the blonde immediately rested her head in Dana's lap. Playing with Alice's hair and looking down into comforting brown eyes, she continued, "He wanted to go a different route than Subaru. Something more fun... I think he called it hip... and get me involved with the fans."

"Yeah?" encouraged Alice, definitely curious now.

"Yeah," said Dana, biting down on her bottom lip. She went back to playing with blonde locks before starting to absently braid them. "Fila is going to be have this game show type thing. They're getting Megan Guerrero to be the host and it's going to happen Saturday night. It starts at seven o'clock actually."

"Megan Guerrero?" Alice frowned, trying to place the name. "She's an out lesbian comedienne, isn't she? Played a few times at The Comedy Store?"

"I think so," said Dana with an anxious nod. She had gotten the basic information out now she just had to take care of the rest. The portion that had her so very worried about Alice's reaction.

"Wait," said Alice, her frown growing deeper and she squirmed around to peer up at Dana. "It's going to be on Saturday night? At seven?"

"Yeah," said Dana who returned the frown and paused in the middle of her braiding. "It's split into two parts. The first part of the game show starts at seven o'clock and then the second part starts at eight after a short fifteen minute break."

"Fuck and shit," hissed Alice in irritated tones, squirming back into her comfortable position in Dana's lap and nibbling on her bottom lip. 

"Al? What is it?" asked Dana worriedly.

Peering back up at Dana and smiling in reassurance, Alice lifted a hand up and carefully cupped the tennis player's face. Carefully just because it was kind of hard to tell where her hand was going since she was looking backwards and all. "I've got that KCRW concert at The Planet with Ed's band," she murmured, stroking Dana's cheek. "It starts at seven thirty and even though it's a live performance and none of the on air personalities will be talking I really need to be there anyway." She opened her mouth to say something but snapped it shut and grimaced as she said, "It's important, I guess."

"If it's important then why are you upset?" Dana puzzled, finished braiding one small section of hair and moving onto another. She had forgotten how relaxing it was to braid someone's hair. That wasn't much of a surprise though. The last time she had done this was with Stephanie at tennis camp. "This is a KCRW event, isn't it? You like your work there."

"Yeah," Alice heaved a sigh and peered up at Dana, catching sight of a braid and wondering how the hell that had gotten in her hair. "I wanted to see your game show, that's all."

Looking into Alice's eyes and seeing the genuine sadness lurking there, Dana swallowed deeply then leaned down and met her lips for a sweet kiss. "I love you," she spoke into the kiss as she made a silent decision that the universe had plotted against her one more time. She couldn't tell Alice. Not when she already looked that sad, she just couldn't make the blonde sadder. That wasn't in her ability. "Hey," Dana smiled fondly and traced the bridge of Alice's nose. "You're still going to ride on the float with me, right? For the Gay and Lesbian Center? We're going to be known and gay together!" she proclaimed.

"We are, aren't we?" said Alice chuckling and pulling Dana down for another kiss. When they parted, she said drawled in wicked humor, "You could even squeeze my ass for good measure. You know," she waggled her eyebrows. "Just so everyone knows for sure how gay we are."

"I could," said Dana, laughing in delight at this idea. She decided to act this out by spinning Alice around by her hips, slipping her hands underneath the blonde's ass, and squeezing it hard as she pulled Alice towards her in a smooth motion. When Alice squealed and squirmed in her playful hold, Dana moved down to put their faces close as she said teasingly, "Or don't you like it? You're making an awful lot of noise."

Clad in a pair of leopard print silk boxers and a puka shell necklace, Howie grimaced and thumped the incredibly lumpy pillow his sister had given him. He was sure despite her protests she was pissed about him being there. That was too bad. He wanted a real chance to party and they did have things they ought to talk about as family... he paused for an internal chuckle.

Anyway, as family they had stuff to... talk over. Or whatever. The only thing he knew for sure was that he didn't want to have to deal with loud whatever the hell it was coming from his older sister's bedroom during his stay. That would without doubt kill the natural high he was certain he'd be riding from the events of this weekend.

Howie was busy considering this when yet another squeal emerged from upstairs. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed one of the tackier throw pillows and pressed it over his ears while muttering in disgusted tones, "Lesbians."

\---

"I'm just saying!" Alice exclaimed, wildly waving her hands around and weaving through the throng of people. "I want to know what was wrong with my outfit. Boy wonder," she hooked her thumb in a smirking Howie's direction. "Made us start the day off late because my outfit was, correct me if I'm wrong," Alice drawled, looking to Howie who lifted his eyebrows and continued to entirely pleased with himself. "The ugliest fucking thing in the world and a throwback from the most tasteless portion of 80's fashion." 

"You quoted me perfectly, madam," drawled Howie who flashed a toothy smile that was nearly as bright as his puka shell necklace.

"I'll madam you," growled Alice, tangling her fingers in his naturally curly hair and shaking his head good naturedly as he whapped ineffectively at her. "Was it really that bad?" she said in a curious whisper into his ear.

"You didn't look at your most gorgeous in that red tube top monstrosity," Howie said honestly, peering up at Alice from where his head halfway rested on her shoulder. "And is it so wrong I want my sister's woman to look her most gorgeous? I tried to make a fair trade too," he remarked and looked over at Dana who stared at them with a suspicious gaze. He grinned and met Alice's eyes in a conspiratorial motion. "I made her change too, right? I mean, you can't say that thing that was droopily hanging off of her was looking good. She looks way better in the jeans and tank, doesn't she? All kicking ass girl and look! Leather belt!" Howie waved towards the large detailed brown leather belt around Dana's waist. "I even found a pair of boots for her. Don't try to say you're not digging it," he snorted. "I saw you staring."

"That outfit is totally hot and you rock for picking it out, kid," said Alice in a low and humorously hushed reply, ruffling Howie's hair affectionately. She let him up from her grasp and said, "What about me, huh? I don't get any of the compliments? Just the big sister gets that mojo?"

"Like you need any!" Howie rolled his eyes. He stood in front of Alice and flicked at the black and white striped tie that went around the open collar of her low buttoned black dress shirt. "You know you look good," he declared and went to walk ahead of them as they continued on their search for the Gay and Lesbian Center and Subaru combination float.

"So..." Dana began in overly cavalier tones and a smile to match. "What were you guys talking about?" Too bad for her she didn't fool Alice one bit, the blonde knew she was curious. 

Smiling slow and naughty, Alice slipped behind Dana, wrapping her arms around her waist as they kept up their path following after Howie in the crowd. "Nothing important," she drawled and deposited a light kiss onto Dana's head before resting her chin there. Murmuring into the soft crown of hair, "Just how good you look in those clothes."

The fact that Alice was able to do this was thanks to Howie's choice in clothing for her that consisted of the aforementioned black and white striped tie, black buttoned dress shirt, but also a pair of worn hip hugger capri jeans and steel heel black slingback pumps. The heels not only looked gorgeous, to quote Howie, they made her quite a bit taller than Dana. That's something Dana really enjoyed. Though she disliked reflecting on her time with Lara, especially while with Alice, something that she had liked about dating the chef was their height difference. Lara being taller somehow made Dana feel more feminine which she just loved because, frankly, that didn't happen all that often due to her occupation. That's why Dana adored Alice in heels. Even though the shoes were undeniably feminine in nature they made Alice much taller than Dana and allowed the blonde to hold her from behind like she was currently doing. Hold her and snuggle her chin on the top of the athlete's head. Both of which were gestures of affection that when it came right down to it, made Dana feel like a huge warm gooey mess inside.

It sounded a lot grosser than it felt and that was why Dana, as an honest person, acknowledged just how truly gay and girly having those feelings made her. But she simply didn't care.

"I found it!" shouted Howie, bouncing up on his heels and gesturing grandly to the large float standing next to him that had a Subaru Outback on top of it.

"What do you suppose tipped him off? The big Subaru or the huge Gay and Lesbian Center sign?" remarked Alice dryly, depositing another kiss as they made their way over. 

Dana chuckled in response as they walked over to the person in charge of the float, a young woman who was primly holding a clipboard. The young woman, in the tennis player's opinion, was a strange looks combination of Tonya and Lara. That only helped in making her a tad disconcerted and she didn't really notice a conversation was going on among Alice, Howie, and clipboard woman until Alice and Howie looked irritated. She tuned in to hear clipboard woman say in prim tones that matched how she held her clipboard, "Only people whose names are on this list get to go on the float."

Blinking in surprise, Dana said, "That's not what Tonya told me."

"Tonya?" questioned the clipboard woman. She paused and realized who she was speaking to and beaming widely, she reached out to shake Dana's hand. "Dana! So glad to have you here! I don't know any Tonya though," she frowned.

"Tonya..." Dana frowned and her brow furrowed as she looked over at Alice. "Do you know what Tonya's last name is?"

"Uhm..." Alice formed a frown herself and considered this.

"I think it started with a Q," said Dana thoughtfully. She looked to Howie now and said, "What about you, How? Do you remember? I mean... it was on the wedding invitations, right?"

"I think it was," mused Howie, his brow furrowing exactly like Dana's. 

"Queenie? Quagmire? Quasimodo?" snickered Alice, trying to figure out what Q name Tonya possessed and having a bit of fun while doing so.

"That's mean, Al," chided Dana, bumping back into her girlfriend who chuckled and pressed a kiss onto her head. "Be nice to Tonya. She's going to help you get on this float with me."

"If we can remember her name," said Alice in droll tones. She sighed and peered over the top of Dana's wavy brown hair to lock eyes with the clipboard woman. "Tonya is her Manager, okay? She worked out this entire promotion with Subaru and you guys and she told us a fairly long time ago it wouldn't be a big deal if we rode on the float with Dana for moral support or whatever you want to call it."

"Moral support is good," said Dana, nodding eagerly, not at all looking forward to the idea of being on that float alone. Ever since the Olivia cruise certain public appearances made her gun shy. She wasn't sure how she was going to deal with the game show tomorrow.

The clipboard woman started to speak but Alice cut her off smoothly and said, "And I know you're only supposed to let people whose names are on that list on the float but you know what? You're in charge of the list and you have a handy dandy pen sitting right there at the top of your clipboard. What would be the big deal if as the person in charge you wrote down the names of Howie Fairbanks and Alice Pieszecki?"

"Alice Pieszecki?" the clipboard woman repeated, wearing a furrowed brow that perfectly matched Dana and Howie's.

"Yeah," said Alice slowly, wondering if maybe the clipboard woman was slow. Or if she was about to whap her on the top of the head with the clipboard which would surely hurt more than a menu. "That's me."

"Alice Pieszecki, Alice?" the clipboard woman said eagerly, her eyes running up and down Dana's body just because it was in front of Alice's. Something that made the tennis player fight the urge to punch the clipboard Lara/Tonya combo in front of her.

"Do I owe you money?" asked Alice both amused and nervous. She wasn't sure why but the strange light in the woman's eyes gave her a little bit of the willies. 

"No," the clipboard woman laughed. "You've got that show on KCRW, don't you? The Chart?"

"Yeah," said Alice even more slowly this time, eyeing the woman curiously and wondering where the hell was this going. At least she didn't owe anyone money. She didn't want to give her cash away. It was needed to buy the precious, precious, alcohol later. "I'm doing some stuff later today for them, in fact. Plus a panel with my honey here," she smiled at Dana whom she realized she'd been neglecting. Pausing to press a soft kiss on the side of her head and smiling again on hearing the quiet sigh the athlete released. "It's a panel on..." She trailed off.

"Lesbians In Media," offered Dana, smiling big.

"Which I guess I am," Alice rolled her eyes. "Sorta." She pulled Dana back into her and rocked them side to side while grinning at the clipboard woman. "Even though no one knows who I am and I work at a public radio station." Lifting an eyebrow, she couldn't stop herself from questioning, "You listen to my show, huh?"

"I called in!" the clipboard woman laughed.

"No way," said Alice, her eyes going wide. Her hands loosened around Dana's waist and it seemed as if she might pull away entirely but the tennis player grabbed her arms and held them fast around her. She clearly didn't want the blonde going anywhere. "Carly?" When the clipboard woman blushed and nodded her head rather shyly, Alice laughed in delight then quickly formed a somber expression as she said, "Show me your boobs."

Carly joined Alice in her laughter, no longer seeming to notice Dana or the glowering expression she wore. Howie did notice, however, and was greatly entertained by it all. "How about if I let you on the float instead?" asked Carly, smiling.

"See boobs or ride on a float," Alice said, appearing as if she was carefully considering her options. She dropped down to rest her chin on the top of Dana's head and gave Carly a small smile. "Would you be offended if I went with the float?"

"I would be relieved," confessed Carly, still slightly red. "I'm not sure I have the goods to be flashing them around. Although," she moved forward imperceptibly, seeming to try and form a connection of some sorts. "I would like to know how you'd judge my breasts," Carly said in a charmingly shy attempt at flirting. "I'm not sure I can make it to your booth later."

Arching an eyebrow, Alice looked at Carly for a moment then clucked her tongue and drawled, "Grade A, two thumbs up, standing ovation, and all that jazz." When Carly ducked her head on hearing these words, Alice whispered in Dana's ear, "But nowhere as sublimely fantastic as yours, baby. You have the best pair of breasts I've ever had the pleasure of seeing." By the time Carly looked back Dana was wearing a face of total contentment. Smiling and wearing an expectant expression, Alice said, "How about that float? Can we get me and Howie on it?"

"Your names are already written down," replied Carly, beaming widely. They watched her scurry off to get things ready and when she left both Dana and Howie shared a moment of sibling unity as they contemplated Alice's persuasive skills.

And how they were something to perhaps fear.

\---

"Hello all!" Alice's voice boomed and released an electronic screech which made her squint then turn to look at the speakers behind her on the small stage she sat on. She and Rich were placed at a table/radio booth travel set up on a stage about two feet up off of the ground. "This is Alice Pieszecki of The Chart and her suddenly not intrepid engineer Rich who set up speakers that are--" Another high pitched screech interrupted Alice who gave little hops away from the speakers, covering her ears until she hopped right off the stage and into the audience. "Hey!" she said waving her hand in a huge motion, sticking the microphone into her pocket after turning it off. "We're having technical difficulties so I'm just going to talk to you one on one, okay? Like I'm still one of the little people instead of towering above you on my mighty stage that's really rickety and could collapse at any moment." She pointed at a nearby woman who had dyed purple hair. "Don't sue! We have very little money. I know this from my salary."

The audience burst into laughter, seeming to relax despite the fact that one of their hosts was without technical aid and the other was busy fixing the technical aid problem. Alice in the meantime was just grateful this little event wasn't meant to be broadcast live on the air like Ed's concert at The Planet was going to be. God help her if something like this happened then.

"No worries, we were planning on giving you gifts just for showing up. Now we'll simply fund some of your pursuits into higher education," Alice announced with a grin. "Is anyone here a proud student at Santa Monica College? Who needs their bills paid?"

"I do!" shouted a man who sported a pair of rainbow shorts, no shirt, and entirely impressive six pack abs. "I'm a poor beggar child!"

"I think the lack of food helps your muscley goodness though," remarked Alice, waggling her eyebrows and waving at his bare chest. "Look at you. I bet someone could break a brick over that thing. It almost scares me something can look that hard." The audience once again burst into laughter and Alice cut off the leers already starting and called out sardonically, "I know! Hard and Gay Pride! Har har. Please, you people," she said in tones of utmost disdain. "You can't think of any better dirty jokes? You go for the easy humor. It makes me sad inside."

"I think I have the speakers fixed," offered Rich, who was on his hands and knees, crawling to the edge of the stage where Alice stood. The moment he said this the speakers screeched the loudest volume yet and Rich cursed then crawled back over to where he was working.

"And intrepid engineer is a description that floats further and further away," commented Alice, grinning again only to have it disappear the moment a worn baseball hat that had been on Rich's head whapped her in the back of the skull. Scowling and rubbing her head, she turned to face Rich. Well, she turned to face Rich's butt as he was still on his hand and knees, butt facing the audience as he worked on the speakers. "That was uncalled for! You respond to verbal insults with other verbal insults. Not flying pieces of worn icky clothing." Rich waved his hand at her in a dismissive gesture and Alice scowled deeply. "At least stop waving your butt around. You're taunting the gay men in our audience."

There was an immediate pause and Rich was suddenly imitating a statue but then his head turned to look back at Alice. Lifting his eyebrows suggestively and smirking, he waved his butt enticingly then went back to trying to fix the speakers.

"Tease," declared Alice, snorting and looking back to the audience. Hooking a thumb at Rich, she said, "What do you think? Is Rich a tease? I'm thinking he's a huge tease."

"At least he's a cute tease!" the rainbow shorts man called out.

Wearing a thoughtful expression, Alice sighed then said, "He is cute isn't he, folks?" Cheers from the male members of the audience came and the blonde grinned widely. "Maybe I should hold a male breast contest and whoever wins can touch Rich the tease's butt? I think that would be nice vengeance for his lack of intrepid engineering skills causing all this trouble. What do all of you think?" Loud hoots from the male members of the audience as Rich waved his butt at them yet again. "Listen to that. I think it must be done!"

"What about us?" called out a female voice.

"Yeah! Lesbians need representation," another woman commanded in comedic yet very fierce tones. "We want a prize!"

"What kind of prize?" asked Alice innocently.

"The speakers work!" Rich announced, leaping to his feet and turning his butt away from the audience viewpoint to male feelings of disappointment.

"Drink?"

Jerking out of her daze at Shane's words, Dana looked to her friend and frowned at the Tinky Winky crazy straw lidded cup that was offered to her. "Shane, what the hell is this? I wanted a beer," she said in derisive exasperation.

"Can't drink it in public, zoning or something," Shane rumbled and took a swig from her Tinkerbell sippy cup. "Ah," she smacked her lips. "That's good." She nudged Dana on the shoulder upon seeing the tennis player was still frowning at the Tinky Winky cup instead of drinking. "Come on, Dane. You gotta try this stuff for the name alone."

"What's the name?" asked Dana who already regretted saying these words.

"Arrogant Bastard Ale," said Shane, her smirk well hidden by the Tinkerbell sippy cup. 

Taking a drink and deciding that Shane was right, though she'd never tell her that, Dana noticed something was missing. Well, not something as much as someone. The someone being her little brother who had left with Shane on her task to find alcohol. Which meant now that Shane had returned Howie should be with her. And yet there was no Howie.

"Where's Howie?" demanded Dana anxiously.

Squinting at this question, Shane rubbed her haphazard head of hair and looked around the teaming mass of people. Most of whom had very little clothing on and appeared to be drinking disguised alcoholic beverages like themselves. "He wanted to look around," she finally said with a shrug. She didn't like the idea of getting involved in what she saw as family politics so she had just let the kid go. He seemed like he knew what he was doing. Plus he showed her his cell phone that was fully charged and had Dana's cell on number four speed dial. Not to mention he also had the spare set of keys to the condo that were usually hanging from her beloved rack.

"You left my brother alone during Gay Pride?" shrieked Dana, already bouncing up on her feet as if to gain a better sight into the crowd in order to find Howie. "My straight little brother?!"

"Dude," said Shane in quiet amazement, shaking her head. "I can't believe he quoted you perfect." When Dana looked at her with a combined expression of confusion and overwhelming anger, Shane lifted up her hands in a placating gesture. "Don't shoot the messenger, all right? I'm just gonna repeat to you what Howie told me to say." Shane started to clear her throat but stopped and took a drink from her Tinkerbell sippy cup instead. When she was finished, she began, "Don't be such a spazzy nerd, big sis. And don't try calling my cell, I'm putting it on silent to ignore lecturing phone calls from you. Do yourself a favor and have some fun." There was a pause and Shane smirked at the severe disapproving look Dana wore before saying Howie's final words. "That face makes you look like Mom. Except older. And more pissy."

"Howie," growled Dana dangerously and for a moment Shane feared the tennis player wouldn't recognize she in fact, was not Howie, and was merely representing his interests.

"Hey, Al's show turning out to be pretty popular, huh?" Shane observed, moving around Dana to get a better look at the stage. There was a group of shirtless men, all of whom looked to be body builders or something close, posing in front of Alice and Rich. The crowd surrounding their tiny stage was getting bigger by the minute and it looked as if the audience was all having a good time. But Shane had to wonder exactly why those men were doing muscle poses. "Wanna head over and find out what they're up to?"

Snapping out of her Howie induced fit of sudden rage, Dana looked to the stage and Alice who was prowling the stage and inspecting the men like she was an army General. A smile softened her features immediately and she replied, "Yeah. Lets do that."

Relief sweeping over her body, Shane made a mental note. Anytime that Dana was angry to the point of being scary merely mention or reference Alice and the athlete will go right back to normal. Shane was positive this would be useful knowledge to have in the future.

\---

An hour and forty two minutes later Alice and Dana were inside of a huge tent sitting at the left end of a very long table with Alice at the very edge for their Lesbians In Media panel. Though to be honest neither of them were really sure how they had ended up there in the first place. They theorized on the walk over that Alice was there thanks to KCRW and Dana had fallen prey to a strange Managerial decision on Tonya's part.

"I can't believe Shane lost Howie," hissed Dana under her breath, scooting her chair close to Alice and leaning back as she put on a false look of interest. The discussion was now focused on the difficulties finding success in the media if you were an out lesbian. She didn't know much about that seeing as she had only gotten really successful once she had come out. That made her wonder why she was there. "What if he gets molested? My parents won't ever forgive me!"

"Technically Shane didn't lose him," Alice murmured and lifted a hand to play with the hairs at the nape of Dana's neck. Hoping the gesture might calm the athlete down. "He wanted to look around on his own and she let him."

"Of course he wanted that!" Dana hissed in irritation. "He's a teenager. She didn't have to let him do what he wanted though. Especially during Gay Pride," she groaned deeply and her blue eyes squeezed shut. "I can hear my mother lecturing me already. 'Dana, we trusted you with the well being of your only brother. How could you let this happen?' God," Dana thumped back into Alice's hands, her head crooked back to face the tent ceiling. "It's going to be worse than the time I melted all his G.I. Joes with my Mom's industrial hair dryer."

Alice was silent for a moment and Dana wondered if she had said something to upset the blonde but was reassured by the soft and caring look in brown eyes. "Dana," said Alice in a hushed murmur. "Don't you maybe think there's a reason he wanted to be on his own? Like the same reason he magically showed up on your doorstop during Gay Pride? The same reason that let him pick out our current fashion ensembles?"

More silence. Well, except for the other panelists talking about the reasons lesbian sex was never correctly portrayed in films and television. Then Dana opened her mouth and closed it then opened it and closed it again then she opened it another time and managed to say in forceful tones, "My brother isn't gay."

"But--" Alice tried to offer more of her logical argument that was meant, in her mind, to help Dana accept what she felt was the very clear reality that Howie was indeed a gay boy.

"My brother isn't gay," Dana repeated in an annoyed hiss, turning away from Alice and doing her best to look enthralled as the panel discussed why lesbians in the media never quite looked like lesbians in real life. Part of Dana wondered what they considered real life. Her life didn't feel real at times. Like right now when her girlfriend was busy trying to convince her that her straight little brother was gay. That didn't feel real at all. It felt like a lame episode of... eh... god, she really did need to start watching TV. Even if the lesbians on it didn't have sex properly and apparently weren't real enough. "He isn't gay so stop talking about him!"

Rolling her eyes and slightly turned on by Dana's ire and the ability she had to look totally interested in whatever boring thing the panelists were discussing, Alice decided to give up for the time being and concentrate on putting the tennis player in a better mood. But how? Dana was well and truly worked up and not in a fun orgasm resulting way either. 

Hmmm...

Playing with the black and white striped tie around her neck, Alice grabbed each loose end in a hand and zipped it back and forth across her neck. The sound of the tie moving over the sleek fabric of her black button up shirt caught Dana's attention and she was soon openly staring at Alice. While she kept up the zipping motion, Alice noticed that the athlete remained fixed on the tie. A slow and what some might consider wicked smile formed on her features as she tugged harder down on the right and caused more of the tie to go zipping in that direction.

Just as she predicted, blue eyes followed the movement exactly and chuckling softly, Alice pressed close to Dana and whispered in her ear, "What can't I do again?"

"Talk about Howie," Dana hissed and her ire rising again.

Fortunately or not, however you considered it, Alice knew this was coming. In fact, she was counting on it and that's why her wicked smile made a big return while she zipped the tie up into both hands and looking to Dana with an overdone apologetic expression and teary eyes, she said in a dramatic whisper, "You can't silence me!"

And then she formed a unique portrait of personal protest as she held the black and white striped tie in her mouth while opening it wide and wearing an expression that, to the suddenly attentive audience, was utterly sensual in nature. The loud and microphone enhanced sound of the lead panelist clearing their throat snapped Alice and Dana out of their odd game that they realized now involved other people.

Releasing a nervous laugh, Alice dropped the tie and leaned forward to say into her microphone, "Hey. Just foolin' around." She made an almost vague noise of embarrassment and popped her lips. "And... yeah..." Alice paused to wave her hands about and ducked her head. "I'm totally sorry. That was really unprofessional. I can leave if you want."

Unfortunately or not, however you could consider this as well, Alice didn't get her secret wish by saying that. Instead she got around an hour of the lecture Dana had feared coming her way from her mother. Except for Alice it was directed at her by a group of overly intellectual lesbians who declared that her wearing high heels was a sign of giving into the cosmetic enslavement of the female body type. Dana did her best to defend her girlfriend against their myriad of accusations but she honestly found it difficult.

Mostly because she didn't understand half of what was being said. But still, Dana did her best and for Alice that's all that counted. That and the way the athlete looked so very deliciously hot while getting steeped in her valiant protection mode while wearing a tight tank top and jeans.

The cosmetic enslavement of the female body type be damned.

\---

Howie was nowhere to be found and although they doubted he would be so dim as to go to a known hang out of his sister's they decided to check The Planet anyway. Plus they were thirsty for drinks of the alcoholic sort. Riding high on their successful teamwork as a couple after staving off the attacks of the snotty lesbian intellectuals at the Lesbians In Media panel they decided to split up for their missions inside the club.

Alice's mission: To find booze.

Dana's mission: To find Howie.

Granted, Alice's mission and result of it was far more fun than Dana's but both were worthy tasks. Too bad for Dana only one of them had any luck. When Alice finally found Dana in the crowd of patrons, she was frowning and standing on her tip toes in an attempt to see out over the crowd. But she knew it was futile, Howie wasn't here. At the delightfully cool feeling of a beer bottle against her skin, Dana turned to Alice with a smile.

"Any luck?" asked Alice though she knew the answer.

"None," replied Dana peevishly, taking a swig of beer. "I just don't get where he would be! I mean, it's Gay Pride." Catching sight of the knowing expression on Alice's face she cut the blonde off, pointing her beer bottle at her. "And don't you say it. I already told you I don't want to hear anymore of your theories involving Howie. I'm the only queer in my family."

Chuckling at this and really unable to help herself, Alice sidled up to the athlete and whispered in breathy spurts into her ear, "Dana... there is another gay Fairbanks."

"Dork," accused Dana, returning the smile as Alice pulled away and put their faces incredibly close.

"But who loves the dork?" Alice murmured to Dana before capturing her lips for a languid and detailed kiss, taking time to taste and explore.

"I love the dork," said Dana in a fiercely passionate reply, diving in and tasting the lips once more. Biting and sucking and tugging then groaning into the blonde. "I love her."

When they parted, Dana expected romantic sentiments to come spilling from Alice thanks to the dreamy look on her features. But what she got was the journalist saying, "I love this song."

Looking upwards as if she could see the song being played, Dana frowned as she realized just who was singing. "Macy Gray?" said Dana, eyeing Alice suspiciously. "Do you have some kind of thing for her that I should worry over?"

"I don't know," said Alice in thoughtful consideration, smirking and moving closer to Dana. "Is wanting to see her do a duet with Missy Elliot in the nude something to worry over?" Alice said the last part casually only to squeal for perhaps the fifteenth time that day when Dana grabbed her extremely ticklish sides to pull her close for a kiss. When the kiss ended several moments later, Alice moaned into Dana and smiled lazily. "I take it back. I only want you in the nude."

"That's what I thought," said Dana smugly.

"But!" Alice said in a decent impersonation of a pout.

"But?" Dana lifted an eyebrow expectantly.

"But I do love this song and can we dance?" wheedled Alice, taking their almost empty beer bottles and placing them on a nearby table. "Please?"

Rolling her eyes and chuckling, Dana said, "Like I could say no to that face."

Giving yet another squeal of delight, Alice tugged Dana over to the too close, too crowded, and too fun dance floor just as the song got into high gear courtesy of Carmen's spinning skills. Once they arrived on the dance floor, Dana reached for the greatly maligned tie that had been the focus of much snotty intellectual lesbian debate about gender dominance and used it to slowly pull Alice towards her. The blonde smiled and danced with the slow pulling motion and moved to purr in Dana's ear, "Are you trying to molest my tie of evil male powers?

"Of course I am," said Dana glibly, leaning down to capture the writer's lower lip for a teasing suck and pull. Muttering into her in husky tones, "How else will I steal its power for the greater good of all lesbiankind?"

"I think you're good for lesbiankind," growled Alice in a laugh before feverishly meeting Dana's lips for a kiss as well as a dance and grind to the music. 

The kiss ended in smiles and joy for them both as Alice shouted along with the rest of the dancers to the song's deliriously happy and overtly confident chorus. "I'm so fucking beautiful!" Her eyes locked with Dana's that were burning dark with lust and Alice kissed her hard and deep and endless as the dancers sang with the song. "Especially when I take my clothes off!"

When they parted yet again, this time almost painfully, Dana said in low guttural need, "Home. Now."

"Yes," agreed Alice breathlessly, taking Dana's hand and letting Dana lead her expertly through the crowd. Body and spirit already humming in crazed anticipation of what was to come.

She fucking loved Gay Pride.

\---

The tie again found itself the focus of attention as Dana used it to tug Alice into her condo and upstairs to the bedroom. When they reached their destination, she tugged it from around Alice's neck with the easy swish noise of fabric on fabric. Swinging the tie around her finger, Dana leaned in for a clinging kiss and husked, "I'm keeping this for myself."

"You sure about that?" Alice chuckled and arched an eyebrow. "That tie is going to bring about the destruction of the feminist movement single handedly."

"I think it will be fine in my bedroom. It can't cause further harm if it's safely hidden away here," assured Dana for a throaty but humorous utterance. In a smooth but careful movement, she hung the tie onto the headboard of her bed. Giving it a very special place of its own. Then she moved back to Alice, resting her hands on the blonde's hips and sliding up her body to cup full breasts as she leaned in and kissed the line of her jaw to murmur in her ear, "You're so sexy." Dana's tongue trailed a path over her jaw to kiss and tug on the writer's bottom lip.

Alice released a wanton moan and unconsciously pushed forward and into the athlete's fingers as they took painstaking care in unbuttoning her shirt. "God, Dana," she halfway whimpered. "I want my shirt off. Take my shirt off."

"Patience, baby," Dana murmured into her, the kiss a toying hint and nibble. "I love this shirt too much to ruin it." Saying this, the shirt was finally unbuttoned and fell open to leave Alice's breasts on display. Sitting high but heavy, the lacy see through material perfectly accentuated their weight and shape. Delicately tracing the intricate pattern of the bra, a quirky smile perked on Dana's lips though her blue eyes were dark with passion. "You have great tits, Al."

"Dana," Alice did whimper this time, pressing into the torturously light caress of the tennis player's fingers. Wanting the contact to be more rough... more real. "Dana," she gasped as the brunette nuzzled her neck and nipped her skin. "Touch me, Dana." She grasped a strong hand and shoved it up hard to make it squeeze and hold her right breast.

On hearing this fevered plea, Dana suddenly lost all of the patience she told Alice to possess. Seizing Alice's mouth in a ravenous kiss, Dana ripped the bra from the writer's body to then cup the pale breasts in her hands, squeezing them hard as Alice clearly wanted. The journalist groaned with pleasure when nimble fingers expertly tweaked her nipples. "Dana," she released an oddly sexy combination of a whimper and animalistic growl. "Fuck me. Fuck me hard. I want you to fuck me like that, I want you to fuck me hard. I want it so much."

"I'll fuck you," promised Dana through labored breaths, capturing Alice's lips and devouring all she was. Taking and taking until Alice thought she had no more left to give but she did. She did and she always would, it seemed, when it was for Dana. "But tell me again how you want it," she said in a deep chuckle against Alice's desperate lips, teasing and torturing her.

"Hard, Dana," Alice rasped, rocking up into Dana who decided to play into the idea of role reversal for a recent sexual encounter. Pushing Alice down onto the chair in her bedroom and straddling her lap. Dana felt herself get even more turned on, if possible, at the memory of Alice doing this to her. And now it was her chance to return the favor. The blonde was straining into her, whimpering and growling, and she yanked a hold of the athlete to shove the fingers of her right hand inside of her. Dana suddenly found herself surrounded by the deliciously wet and clinging proof of Alice's desire, making her release a low groan as Alice thrust herself down onto the brunette's fingers to make them go further inside. "Fuck me hard."

"Alice," Dana growled as the blonde rocked into her, kissing her harsh and frantic.

"I love having you inside of me," gasped Alice, riding the brunette's fingers in a violent and unyielding pace. "I love having you fuck me." She roughly grabbed Dana's face, kissing her with a fierce desire, thrusting her tongue past pink lips in a crude but welcome invasion. Parting with a strangled laugh and moan of pleasure. "I love you." 

"Al," groaned Dana, kissing Alice intensely and pressing into her as she plunged all four fingers inside in a merciless rhythm. "Do you like that? Tell me. I want to know."

"Fuck yeah, I like it," rasped Alice, shoving herself down, impaling herself fully on Dana's fingers. "But I want more. Give me more of you."

"God," came Dana's mindless reply, rising eagerly into Alice, kissing her hard and thorough and increasing the pace as she slipped her thumb off the blonde's throbbing clit to join her fingers in their brutal thrust inside. "Come, Al. Show me I'm fucking you good. Show me, baby."

The vicious upward stroke of all fingers and a thumb pushed Alice into screaming oblivion. Groaning and muttering and biting into Dana's kiss as the orgasm seized her body. Alice collapsed into Dana's arms, who held her in a comforting embrace after her fingers made a slippery retreat. The writer buried her face in the crook of the tennis player's neck and Dana stood, easily sweeping Alice up and cradling her tenderly.

Depositing her precious burden onto the soft mattress, Dana delicately set about undressing the blonde who shivered at her feathery light touch, only releasing uneven breaths in her attempts to calm herself from the powerful aftermath of her orgasm. When Alice was undressed Dana tucked her underneath the blankets before removing her own clothing in a natural process, tossing them to the floor. She then snuggled under the covers, pulling Alice to her and sighing happily at the weight of the journalist's body on top of hers.

In a sign of familiarity, she tucked her head underneath Dana's chin. Exhausted but never happier, they moved closer to entangle their limbs completely, and Alice said in a rather staid observation, "That was hot."

Bursting into a fit of laughter, Dana hugged Alice, kissing messy blonde locks. "Yeah," she agreed. "It really was."

They remained entwined, soothed and relaxed, resting into one another, content to simply be and be able to feel each other. An air of perfect peace settled over them and that was when Howie's voice, loud and dripping with sarcasm sounded in the air.

"Hey lesbians!" a somewhat muffled Howie called out. His naturally sarcastic inflection was unable to be toned down even by the walls and floors separating them. "Quiet down with the perverted sex acts! There's an impressionable minor who's been banished to sleep on your crappy excuse for a couch! I don't want to suffer through any future tortures!"

"Oh my god," Dana uttered, voice drowning in embarrassment, each word spaced further apart than the one before. After saying this, she ducked completely underneath the blankets, pulling them over her head as if to hide from the reality that her little brother had obviously heard her having sex with her girlfriend.

Alice, in the meanwhile, stared at the door as if she could see Howie through it. Trying his best to go to sleep on that damn uncomfortable couch and wearing only his x love x silk boxers and puka shell necklace as sleepwear. 

"SO gay," was her only response.

\---

"Today will not be a repeat of yesterday. You understand, Howie?" said Dana in what was probably meant to be stern tones. The problem with tones, even stern ones, is they can only be effective if heard. 

And Howie, along with Alice, was simply not hearing Dana's tones, stern or otherwise at the moment. No, they were both too busy playing with Marshmallow Kitty and discussing in depth his constant state of absolute poofiness.

"I didn't know a cat could have more fur than Mr. P," Howie marveled, dangling a shoe string he had pulled out of one of the dozens of free shoes Dana had gotten from Fila at the kitten. Being the easy going creature that he was, Marshmallow Kitty followed the string with his eyes only batting at it occasionally. "Where did you guys get him?"

"Humane Society, they had a kitten adoption special," said Alice, flicking the shoe string so it hit Marshmallow Kitty on his nose. At this, he squinted his eyes and released a rumbling purr before batting rather lethargically at the string. Laughing happily, Alice peered up at a grinning Howie. "Isn't he the mellowest thing ever?" She reached down to scratch the kitten behind his ears who pressed his head into her touch. "You're the king kitty of mellow, Poofy."

A clearing of a throat reminiscent to the sound made by the leader of the Lesbians In Media panel caused Alice and Howie stop in their fun to look up at Dana who now had a stern expression on her face to match the tones that they didn't hear. "Pay attention," commanded Dana, pointing the spatula at them before shoveling scrambled eggs onto both of their plates. "You're staying with me and Alice for the entire day, Howie. You got that?" In a moment of simultaneous protest, Alice and Howie opened their mouths and Dana pointed the spatula at them again. "No arguments," she declared, turning on her heel and walking into the kitchen to retrieve the rest of their breakfast.

"She's acting like Mom again," grumbled Howie as he poked at the scrambled eggs with his fork. "I hate it when she acts like Mom. It's both creepy and lame of her."

Understanding the point of view from Dana and Howie, Alice scooted her chair closer to the teenager and offered in a soft murmur, "She was worried about you yesterday and you know how she gets when she's worried. It leads to her being scared." She tilted her head and prompted him fondly, "And what does Dana do when she's scared?"

"She becomes super annoying and anal," said Howie, rolling his eyes. He poked at the eggs some more then looked at Alice with an apprehensive hazel gaze. “Why won’t she talk to me about this?” Biting his lip in a gesture that reminded the blonde completely of Dana, he continued, “I thought she would talk to me first, you know? That she would know why I’m here.” Howie released an exasperated sigh and scuffed his shoe on the floor and looked at Alice again. ”You know why I’m here, don’t you?”

“I think so,” said Alice kindly. “But why don’t you tell me?” When Howie’s face darkened and he formed a scowl that to her was more of a hostile pout, she chuckled and nudged his arm. “I’m pretty sure I already know what you’re going to say, kid.” She smiled as he opened his mouth to no doubt protest or complain at her and cut him off by saying in easy tones, "Don’t you think you could use the practice with saying the words?”

Biting on his bottom lip and playing with his puka shell necklace for a long while, Howie stared at the kitchen table and finally said, “I’m gay.”

Silence and then Howie felt Alice ruffling his curly hair before she pulled his head down to her shoulder with a rough gesture of affection he had grown to appreciate from her. She tapped him playfully onto the back of his head and muttered with a chuckle, “That’s what I thought.” When he peered up at her with slightly watery eyes, she wrapped an arm around his shoulder, squeezing him gently as she drawled humorously, “Who other than a gay boy could pick out such fabulous outfits, after all?”

“I know, right? Duh to big sis,” Howie halfway sniffled and snickered, pulling his head from Alice’s shoulder. He poked at the eggs, shoving them around the plate, then said hesitantly, “Will you--“

“I’m not telling Dana for you,” said Alice firmly, scooping the eggs up with her fork and eating them. She groaned in pleasure and smiled largely. “She makes the best eggs, doesn’t she?”

“She totally stole the recipe from Marta,” replied Howie in snippy tones, referring to the longtime Fairbanks family chef. Kicking Alice lightly with his Kenneth Cole sandals, he said in what was no doubt meant to be coaxing tones, “Why not tell her for me?” Too bad that his coaxing tones worked just about as well as Dana’s stern tones from earlier. Which was not at all. “She likes you better than me. You have sex with her.” 

“Dana loves you, you’re her little brother,” said Alice, eating more of the eggs and not really caring who the tennis player stole the recipe from, they tasted so good. "And for my own sanity stop bringing up sex in sentences involving your sister. It's starting to freak me out."

"Because you have a perverted mind," said Howie, releasing a snort and leaning backwards and looking in the kitchen. Dana was busy cooking something in a frying pan. What he had no idea and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He had never been much of a breakfast person unless you counted eating cold pizza in the morning. When he saw that Dana wasn't about to be joining them anytime soon, Howie plunked his chair down in time to see Alice guilty freeze in the process of putting a forkful of the eggs from his plate into her mouth. "Eat it," Howie waved his hands. "I don't even like eggs when Marta cooks them."

"Yay!" Alice did a little dance in her seat and unceremoniously dumped the eggs onto her plate. Shoving more into her mouth, she mumbled around them, "You should just tell her. Like you did with me. I've already talked to her and I figure she knows but she's… well…" Alice shrugged and took a drink of juice.

"Steeped in denial?" said Howie sarcastically.

Instead of replying, Alice made a noise of agreement and did a sheepish shrug then went about eating the remaining pile of eggs on her plate with a speed that almost horrified Howie. He didn't know it was possible to intake food that quickly. Just as he started to make a response, Dana breezed back in the room with a frying pan that apparently had pancakes on it. She put the largest pancake on Alice's plate who released an ecstatic food muffled cry of joy. The athlete paused at Howie's plate and lifted an eyebrow as she placed his pancake on it.

"You actually ate the eggs, How?" said Dana, chuckling. "I thought you hated eggs. You know, I didn't expect you to really eat them. I just put them there to torture you."

"I didn't eat it. Your girlfriend, the creature otherwise known as the bottomless pit of breakfast foods, stole them from me," remarked Howie dryly, nodding to Alice.

At his words Dana finally took notice of Alice who was currently busy piling the remaining eggs she had left along with the nearby bacon and what appeared to maybe be Fruit Loops onto the center of her huge pancake to then pour maple syrup on it and wrap it up like it was a burrito. If Dana hadn't already seen Alice do something like this before and if she hadn't already fallen head over heels in love with her the sight might have been disturbing. Instead she sighed and shook her head in a bemused gesture before focusing back on her little brother.

Her little brother who was wearing an expression of utmost solemnity. "Dane," he said her name somberly and for a minute she thought he was going to hold her hand. Which would have been very weird indeed. But he didn't and thus she was feeling a little better about the current situation. A little but not much. "I need to tell you something."

"Okay," Dana drew the word out slowly, looking to Alice who paused in the middle of eating her strange pancake breakfast food burrito creation. "Tell me what?"

Howie stared at Dana. Dana stared at Howie. Alice stared at her pancake breakfast food burrito. Marshmallow Kitty stared at the abandoned shoe string lying on the floor next to him. They all continued to stare and Howie opened his mouth to perhaps simply repeat the two words he said to Alice.

Except they got interrupted by the loud ringing of Dana's telephone. Somehow as the ringing went on they all came to the conclusion Tonya was on the other end of the call. Though none of them were really sure why they felt that way.

Blinking and wondering when exactly she was supposed to be ready again, Dana wandered over to answer the phone, leaving Alice and Howie alone. Soon as she did, Alice bit into her pancake burrito with a loud crunch and Howie clunked his head down onto the kitchen table. When he peered up at Alice, she wore what was meant to be a face of sympathy but was obscured by the fact she was busy eating her strange food creation.

"I'll tell her later, okay?" Howie halfway whined, no longer feeling particularly eager to go ahead with confessing his love for the male gender.

Alice shrugged and took another bite of the pancake burrito.

\---

"I think that as I've suddenly become your personal stylist for the weekend I should be allowed the freedom any such person would have involving their celebrity clientele," commented Howie in tones that were both huffy and pouting. Howie was referring to the fact that even picking out Alice and Dana's clothing for the second day in a row hadn't allowed him to escape from his sister's plans of watching him nonstop. "It's only fair!"

"Nice try, How," Dana called over her shoulder, grinning as she looked back at her scowling little brother. She and Alice were walking slightly ahead of him, holding hands and weaving through the crowd. They were currently on route to meet up with the others at drag queen beauty contest that was being held at Milk. "But you're not going anywhere, got it? You stay either with me or Alice the entire day. Me or Alice," she repeated in stern tones that he actually heard this time and pointed a finger at him for good measure. "That doesn't include my less than vigilant friends who will let you run off due to their innately indifferent nature."

"I like Shane," muttered Howie peevishly, folding his arms over his muscular chest that was covered by a tight magenta t-shirt. "She looks like a rock star, does hair for a living, and has a rumbley voice like a cat. And she is SO much cooler than you."

"Everything thinks that!" said Alice, laughing and giving Howie a harmless backwards kick. "Don't think you're special because you think Shane is cool. That's pretty much a consensus opinion in these parts. How do you think she's gotten so much action?"

"Don't kick me, woman," Howie growled, whapping at Alice's blue jean covered leg and her worn out Dr. Martens. "You'll injure me with all the butch wear I put you in." He paused for a moment then ran forward to walk next to Alice as the made their way through the sea of people. "Why did I have to help you pick out butch wear anyway? You said it was required but I'm not sure I'm getting that. Are you doing Dykes On Bikes today or something?"

"I wish," Alice laughed again, only to wear a wistful expression when she was done. "Dykes On Bikes is the funnest thing ever. But no, it's not for that. I have that KCRW concert at The Planet with my friend's band, right?" When Howie nodded his head in a nonverbal sign he understood what she was talking about, Alice continued, "Anyway. Ed has this thing about me not dressing 'girly' during the concerts he gives. We used to play music together and one time I wore a dress onstage…" She rolled her eyes expressively. "The result was less than good and he's been on my case about clothing at concerts ever since."

"Was that the show in La Jolla?" asked Dana, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah," said Alice, sighing heavily.

Dana chuckled and wound an arm around Alice's waist as they walked. "I really wish I could have seen that," she remarked. The athlete paused then formed a mischievous smile as she drawled, "Maybe I should ask Ed about it. You didn't give me a lot of details, you know."

"Do it and you won't get any tonight," said Alice in grim tones, staring Dana down.

Right as Howie began to make a smart ass comment and Dana started to form a severe pout, they found themselves suddenly confronted by an overly perky blonde girl with a huge smile. "Hi!" the girl said excitedly. They stared at the girl and were lost for a reply when she continued in still excited tones, "You're Dana Fairbanks, aren't you?"

"Yeah," said Dana rather dimly. She wasn't used to people this perky. Not even Tonya was this perky and it was safe to say that Tonya was pretty damn perky.

"I love you!" the girl declared and for a moment they thought that perhaps this was the only thing the girl wanted. To simply say that she loved Dana but then she produced a small pad of paper and a pen. "Can I have your autograph?"

"Sure," said Dana, smiling as she reached for the pen and paper. "Who do I make it out to?"

"No one please!" the girl chirped. When Dana, Alice, and Howie stared at her blankly she beamed and added, "It sells for more on eBay without personalization's."

"Oh, she loves you, big sis," Howie snorted but his biting insult was lost on the girl who simply waited for Dana to finish signing her name before skipping off into the crowd. Watching her go with hands on his hips, he shouted at her, "Rude much?! Say thank you at least!"

"Awww. The baby bro does love you," murmured Alice in Dana's ear, who chuckled at Howie's annoyance with the girl. She was used such treatment but it was nice to see that he was upset on her behalf all the same. 

Turning and tugging on the belt loops to Alice's jeans, Dana pulled the blonde in front of her and rested their faces side by side. Her breath whispering across Alice's skin, she said playfully, "Maybe I should switch him from wardrobe to PR? What do you think, Al?"

Looking at Howie who still had his hands on his hips and was busy glaring at anyone who looked at Dana funny as if they too might ask his sister for her precious autograph only to sell it on the online whoring market, his exact words, called eBay, she laughed in soft agreement. "I think he would end up making people hate you, baby," Alice said in droll tones. "Protective pit bull types like your brother don't make for good results in PR."

The journalist then nodded to an attractive brunette with ample curves who was apparently trying to make her way over to Dana but was being interrogated by pit bull Howie. Her blue eyes going wide at this, the athlete called out his name. When her turned around to face her, Dana shook her head and said rather humorously, "It's all right." Howie wandered over and feeling altogether mystified at his suddenly protective behavior, Dana decided to bring up one of her big sisterly acts of cruelty to put things back to normal. At least, it was cruelty according to Howie. She knew that from the multiple times he had harped her evilness for committing this specific childhood act. "What's with you? Have you forgotten my status as a Turtle Killer? That is what you like to sometimes call me, isn't it?"

"Turtle Killer, right!" Howie shrieked, pointing at Dana as he posed theatrically. Waving his hands wildly at her and seeing a small crowd gather, he said in a dramatic revelation, "Do you know what this woman did?"

"Hey, that's Dana Fairbanks," remarked a nearby man in tight, tight, oh you cannot even imagine how very tight were the tank top and jeans he had on.

"Yes, it is," said Howie snippily, hands on his hips. "And do you mind? I'm trying to tell the tale of how Dana Fairbanks became a Turtle Killer."

"Dana Fairbanks kills turtles?" gasped a tiny woman with tattoos.

"It was a sunny afternoon in the month of June," Howie began, regaling the story with much dramatic flair, clearly enjoying the attention he was gaining from the gathering crowd. "I heard the sound of fireworks and toddled outside, I was only four at the time," he added as a side note. "And what did I find?" Howie pointed at Dana in accusation who lifted an eyebrow in staid amusement. "Dana Fairbanks tying my precious Donatello action figure to a rocket--"

"Super Helios Rocket Type F65," Dana offered rather helpfully, her chin tucked on Alice's shoulder and looking greatly entertained by Howie's story telling adventure.

"Wait," said Alice slowly, holding up her hands. "Donatello?" she questioned, looking skeptically at Howie. "You mean it wasn't a real turtle? It was one from that stupid cartoon?"

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wasn't stupid!" declared a handsome black boy who looked about Howie's age. He wore a horrified expression at Alice's words. "They were mutants and outcasts from society. That series was completely about the idea of people accepting and embracing that fact that they were born different."

"Exactly," said Howie, nodding his head in fierce agreement and smiling widely at the boy. "Thanks," he said, looking almost shy as their eyes met. Then he lost that shyness because it really wasn't who he was and asked, "Don't you see the criminal nature in what she did? I mean, I was just a little kid! She blew up my favorite toy right in front of me."

"Did she destroy his stick too?" asked the boy sadly.

"Yes!" exclaimed Howie, outraged at the memory. "Though it was technically a bo and not a stick but whatever." He gave his broad shoulders a casual shrug and grinned as he offered his hand to the boy in way of greeting. "I’m Howie Fairbanks. And you?"

"Gino Simmons," the boy replied, taking the hand in a firm grasp and his eyes lighting up happily. "My mother's Italian," said Gino in a sheepish explanation of his name's origins.

"My mother's well preserved," replied Howie with a smirk.

"Dana?" the curvaceous brunette that was blocked by Howie earlier had finally managed to make her way over to the tennis player. "Since you're NOT really a turtle killer after all, do you think I could maybe have your autograph?"

"Sure," said Dana with a laugh. "You have a piece of paper and pen?"

"Actually," the brunette drawled as she produced a Sharpie marker from the depths of her cleavage that was barely contained by a tight white t-shirt. "I was wondering if you would maybe be willing to sign my breast."

Looking from Alice to the woman and then back again, the athlete waited for some reaction from her girlfriend. What she got was Alice lifting an eyebrow and leaning back into Dana who remained hidden behind Alice. "You have a bra on, right?" the writer said eventually, turning her attention to the brunette.

"Of course," the woman nodded emphatically. She leaned forward and said in almost confidential tones, "I don't feel right leaving the house without one."

"Ditto," said Alice in a droll reply. Nudging Dana with a light bump of her hips in a physically playful sign of permission, she said humorously, "What are you waiting for? Get to signing."

Biting nervously on her bottom lip and carefully accepting the Sharpie from the brunette who whipped off her t-shirt in a carefree gesture before beaming brightly at Dana as she said, "Can you make it out to Julie?" After she said this, Dana stepped closer, but not too close in her expert opinion, and began to sign. While she did so, the brunette squinted at Alice then commented, "Weren't you on the Lesbians In Media panel?"

"Yeah, I was," Alice said in supremely sardonic tones. "Although I think the people in charge of the panel would choose to forget my presence seeing as how I personally represent everything that's wrong with lesbian and bisexual women gender representation in the world today."

"My god!" Julie bounced on her toes and caused Dana to smudge the second, and in her opinion, most important 'a' in her first name. "Sorry," she remarked in off hand ones to the scowling tennis player. Turning her attention back to Alice, her green eyes were filled with excitement. "You're the chick with the tie! God, that was the best thing ever. You totally threw them for a loop but I felt so bad… you had to deal with their nonstop bitchy hypocrisy." Nodding at Dana who was busy signing the first 'a' in her last name, she went on, "Dana was so sweet though, defending you and all."

"Yeah, she was, wasn't she? My dyke in shining armor," commented Alice, halfway teasing the blushing athlete and halfway lost in fond memory of Dana defending her honor at the panel.

"You're on the radio, right?" questioned Julie thoughtfully.

"KCRW," said Alice with an nod. "I'm actually help put on a concert at The Planet tonight. It starts at seven thirty, you should stop by… the set is entirely covers of gay themed songs and the band is taking audience requests. The whole thing is going to be broadcast live."

"Seven thirty?" Julie paused to do the mental math then smiled brightly and said, "I'll be there!"

"One down and a few hundred audience members to go," said Alice wryly.

"People will definitely go," assured Julie. She grinned and added, "Everyone who went to the Lesbians In Media panel loves you now so I'm sure there will be word about mouth news about the concert, you know? But as much as I loved you on that panel I totally have to leave and see the second half of Dana's game show. That's bound to be hilarious." After Julie said this, she blinked as Dana froze like a statue while writing the only 'n' in her last name. "You okay?"

"I'm fine!' said Dana quickly and with lightning speed she finished writing the 'k' and 's' in her last name. Capping the Sharpie and whapping Julie on the nose as she handed it to her, Dana took Alice's hand and declared, "We're going now!"

"Dana?" said Alice, frowning in confusion. "What's up?"

"Nothing is up but the sky," said Dana in a freakishly perky voice that made Alice think of the first autograph seeker. "I don't want to miss the show. You know how I love the drag queens. Howie!" Dana looked to her brother, halfway hissing and yelling his name. "We're going."

Pausing in his conversation with Gino, the happiness on Howie's face evaporated then he seemed to puff up his muscular chest as he blustered, "I want Gino to come with us."

"Who?" Dana blinked and stared at him in bafflement. When Howie aggressively jerked his head towards the boy standing next to him, she shook her head in exasperation. "Fine! But we have to go. They could already be starting the swimsuit competition."

And with that, Dana propelled a perplexed Alice through the crowd of people as a very puffed up Howie and slightly bewildered but still enamored Gino followed. Leaving behind Julie who looked down at her ample bosom and released an upset cry. "Dono Firban?!" she wailed in angry disbelief. "You can't even read this autograph!"

For the women staring at Julie's breasts on glorious display that didn't seem to matter. 

\---

Drag queen beauty contest, long lunch, gay pets on parade, and a KCRW on air prize giveaway later, Alice found herself inside of a large tent trying to calm down one jittery Dana and inwardly cheering on Howie who appeared to be in the process of finding his first date with a boy in Gino. The two boys were sitting in the first row of the empty audience section of the tent. Howie was once again busy telling tales and Gino was laughing while hanging on his every word.

"You ever wonder if Alex Trebek could answer the questions without the cards?" murmured Alice, running her fingers through Dana's hair in a calming gesture. The tennis player was sitting onstage in a director's chair with her legs bouncing in a fast paced and rhythmically annoying fashion. Alice stood behind her and was now occupied with giving Dana's shoulders a massage in hopes of alleviating her tension. Though at this point she wasn't really sure what could do that, the brunette was so wound up. "I don't think he could, not all of them, but he might be able to answer a lot. He's hosted for that show for twenty years, right? Some of that useless trivia should have sunk into his brain." 

"I like The Price Is Right," said Dana absently, bouncing her legs harder.

The leg bouncing was a physical manifestation of Dana's nerves as she tried, once again, to figure out the best way to tell Alice about the dating game. She had to tell Alice before the event began, she knew that, and she had been trying tell the writer all day to be honest… at the drag queen beauty contest, at lunch, at gay pets on parade, at the KCRW giveaway… well, okay, not there because Alice had been working but she had tried. Honestly she had. And yet, here Dana was. Busy thinking of ways to tell the blonde about the dating game without hurting her, wondering how Alice would react, and dreading that response no matter what it should be. 

"The Price Is Right?" Alice scoffed humorously, kneading the athlete's shoulders and smiling on feeling the other woman start to loosen up. "How can you like that show better than Jeopardy? I mean, which one can claim the funniest run of sketches on Saturday Night Live?"

Chuckling in amusement, Dana put on her best Sean Connery impression and said, "The game is afoot! I'll take anal bum covers for seven thousand."

Relieved that she was getting this teasing response and hoping it was a sign the athlete might be loosening up, Alice wound her arms around Dana, hugging her gently as she put her chin on the brunette's shoulder. "That's an album cover not anal bum cover," she went on quoting the sketch, doing a decent impersonation of a weary Alex Trebek's exasperated tones.

"I can read, Trebek! That says anal bum cover." 

A far more convincing Sean Connery impression than Dana's filled the air and they were soon facing the person responsible. Though they weren't interested in finding out who she was as of yet because the woman was quirking an eyebrow in a sign that it was Dana's turn to take over.

"I spent five years of my life trying to invent an anal bum cover!" revealed Dana as Sean Connery, her voice loud and exuberant. She lifted her own eyebrow in a silent request and then Dana and the woman continued their impersonations together, "Failing to do so is my greatest regret."

"You have led a horrifying life," Alice finished the sketch off as Alex Trebek, grinning at the petite woman in front of them. When she was done, she moved to stand upright and rested her hands comfortably on Dana's shoulders. "You're good," she complimented with a grin. "Better than Dana even and I didn't think anyone could beat her Connery impression."

"Thanks," the woman laughed good naturedly. "No offense but I hope I would be better. Doing this sort of thing is part of my job description. I'm not sure Ms. Fairbanks can say the same."

"Megan Guerrero?" asked Dana, tilting her head to one side.

"The one and only," said Megan. She grinned widely and offered her hand to Dana who accepted it with a return grin of her own. "It's good to meet you, Ms. Fairbanks." Megan then gave a polite nod to Alice who was now occupied by curling the tennis player's wavy brown hair around her index finger. "And your friend."

"Please call me Dana," the athlete said in friendly tones, reaching back for Alice's hand. Once it was in her grasp, she paused to press a kiss onto the palm. "And this is my girlfriend, Alice."

"Nice to meet you," said Megan, offering her hand to Alice this time who started to move the hand Dana had just kissed but instead wiped it on her jeans and gave Megan the other one for the handshake. Laughing at the insulted look Dana wore, the comedienne remarked, "Don't diss the germ awareness. I'm sure it wasn't meant as a personal dig against your mouth."

"Of course not," said Alice in exaggerated horror at the idea. She wrapped her arms around Dana's sides in a soothing gesture, then poked at the athlete playfully who whapped harmlessly at her hands. "I consider her mouth something worthy of religious worship."

"Lucky," Megan whistled, secretly charmed by the dark blush covering Dana's features. 

When her agent had first come to her about this gig Megan wasn't sure she wanted it just because she had found out on too many occasions that celebrities were often never what you thought they would be. Though it shouldn't, such instances usually came with painful personal results. And while she hadn't really known what she thought about Dana Fairbanks she still wasn't that eager to take the job. Even though the only thing she knew about Dana was that she found her smoking hot. But despite that, Megan was fairly sure she wouldn't have thought the athlete would be like this. Just a regular person who was sort of funny and nerdy and… well… obviously in love with her girlfriend who didn't seem to be the usual type that Megan had experienced through other celebrity comedy gigs. Alice was comfortably low key and didn't fixate on over the top signs of affection for the athlete. Instead she did little things, like lightly scratching the small of Dana's back in a circular pattern as they spoke.

Damn. 

Megan almost felt like doing a happy dance. She had somehow managed to land a decently paying and legitimate gig with what appeared to be a normal lesbian celebrity who had found herself a non-psychotically possessive girlfriend. If she wasn't already poor as hell she would have called her agent to tell him to take a bigger cut for arranging this job for her. But she was poor as hell and she resented Mike taking as much as he already did so forget about that.

"So," said Megan, grinning widely and sticking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. "Are you ready for our game show? I ran into that hyper Fila executive guy and he seems to think it's going to be the talk of Pride."

"I hope not," said Dana nervously, returning to her nervous leg bouncing. "I'm not good with this stuff…" She looked at Megan and bit her bottom lip then said, "If I mess you up don't get mad, okay? I'm just… not good…" Dana trailed off and scowled, seeming upset at herself for not being able to explain why exactly she wasn't good.

"You don't have to be good at this type of thing," said Alice reassuringly, tucking her head on Dana's shoulder. She then peered up at Megan and grinned. "Just like Megan doesn't have to be good at playing tennis."

Seeing where Alice was going with this, Megan lifted an eyebrow and said in somber enunciation, "I suck at tennis. I think the one time I tried to play it the ball somehow ended up redecorating the front seat of somebody's car."

"Destructive," said Alice with an ooh and ahh in her voice.

"I know," Megan replied rather proudly. "I can still hear the melodic sounds of breaking glass and car alarms now. Ah," she said this wistfully. "How I miss kindergarten."

"You broke actual car windows in kindergarten?" Alice said in envious tones. "I only managed to destroy matchbox vehicles and that was usually on a matchbox highway."

"Well, you're clearly an amateur," Megan sniffed. "Don't you think your girlfriend is an amateur, Dana? What else but an amateur destroys toy cars on a toy highway?"

"I was a little kid!" cried Alice. "You can't use it against me that I wasn't as talented as you at the ways of mayhem. That's abnormal behavior anyway, right Dane?"

Looking from Alice to Megan then back and knowing that somehow the game show would turn out all right, Dana shook her head fondly. "Dorks," she accused, chuckling.

\---

"She's a godsend, isn't she?" Tonya murmured to Alice, her eyes fixed on the stage and Megan interacting with Dana as they started the first portion of the game show. 

After escaping from the clutches of Bill, the hyper Fila marketing guy, Tonya had managed to further calm Dana's nerves and the result was more than obvious onstage. The tennis player was relaxed and bantering easily back and forth with not only Megan but the eight contestants who were busy doing the Dana Fairbanks trivia game.

"Megan's great," agreed Alice, nodding her head and laughing when Dana scrunched up her nose while revealing that the food she hated eating more than anything else was tofu. "Wait for it," she murmured, waiting for the athlete's rant to keep going.

"Tofurkey especially!" Dana exclaimed disgustedly. 

"She hates tofurkey," said Alice with a chuckle, looking up at a quietly entertained Tonya. "I once had to listen to her rant about the stupidity of making something look like something it was made specifically not to be like. She said something like, 'It's the same thing as if I bought a ham and then tried to make it look like a piece of steak! It's still a ham! What's the point?'" 

"Then you're okay with this?" asked Tonya, eyeing Alice carefully. One of the less heart warming aspects of her job was to make sure Dana was a success and that meant shutting down anything that might be an obstacle to that. Hurt and jealous girlfriends included.

"With what? The creepy contestants?" replied Alice, blinking in confusion. Looking to the women onstage who were staring at Dana as if she was water and they were dying of thirst, she scowled slightly. "Not really but what can we do? Those are the people who know the most inane facts about Dana." She shrugged and released a sigh. "So they get to play the game."

Tonya looked a tad perplexed at this and started to reply but Howie magically appeared with Gino in tow. "It's seven ten woman!" he crowed, a bounce in his step. "You told me to tell you when it's seven ten so we can head to The Planet for your KCRW concert since I have no interest in seeing sad fan girls vie for the attention of my blockhead big sis." Howie flicked his gaze over to Tonya and said in cheery offhand tones, "Hey Ton Ton. How goes it?"

"It goes fine, Howie," said Tonya, carefully measuring her words as her eyes narrowed much like a hawk looking at the tiny mouse that was its prey from the sky above. 

Clucking his tongue and nibbling his bottom lip, Howie came to an internal decision and formed a mischievous grin as he asked, "What's your last name? We couldn't remember it yesterday. It starts with a Q, doesn't it?"

"Howie!" Alice hissed, smacking him on the back of his curly head.

"Ow, my brain," whined Howie, starting to rub his head but stopping when Gino did it for him, gracing him with a tender smile while doing so. "My very own Nurse Nightingale," he drawled, winking at Gino who blushed.

"You better get him out of here before he loses more of his capacity to reason," said Tonya dryly. Facing the stage once more, she said to Howie when he passed, "Quinlan." Trying to ignore the wide grin and the almost girlish noises of glee Howie made at this revelation, Tonya stared at the stage and reveled in what a good job Dana really was doing. Then she reflected on the incident with Howie and said in wry observation, "Gay boys."

\---

Much to Alice's surprise and delight, The Planet had more than a decent sized crowd inside of it. Locating Ed and the others, she pointed them out to Howie so he and Gino could help make a pathway over to them as they were far more muscular and intimidating than she.

The first thing that happened on their arrival was Ed sweeping Alice up in a hug and declaring, "Ali baby! Look at the butch wear. I'm so proud! You've gone Stella and got your groove back!"

"It wasn't me," Alice laughed through the hug, pushing away and waving at a grinning Howie. "Young Master Fairbanks picked out my butch attire for the evening. I told him of your distaste for anything feminine and voila!" She made a grand gesture to butch wear outfit consisting of two tank tops, worn jeans, and Dr. Martens. "Here I am."

"You're wearing the bling watch too, Al," rumbled Shane, smirking at the oversized gold watch that Alice had stolen from an ex-boyfriend she felt particularly angry with at the time. 

"Yes, I'm up with the bling," said Alice, flashing the watch and smirking when Carmen grabbed her wrist to give it a closer inspection. "I'm rolling or something to that effect. Holla."

"Ignore her, she's trying to be funny," said Howie to Gino in morbidly embarrassed vocal tones that matched his facial expression.

"Why do that? I think that she's funny too," replied Gino, an easy smile gracing his dusky features. "Besides, she should holla. That watch is pretty bling if you ask me." He looked to Alice and asked, "Where did you get it?"

"Stole it from an ex," chirped Alice, beaming widely.

"Ali has criminal tendencies," Ed cooed, slinging an arm around her shoulders and rocking her side to side with him. "Looks like Boy Rich is heading our way. We might finally have things set up so you can give our grand introduction."

"Boy Rich?" echoed Alice, lifting an eyebrow in question.

"We formed a relationship whilst you were absent. While you were frolicking in the leisure of game shows with your tan tennis player, he helped soothe my agitated condition," said Ed in dramatic intonations, pressing a hand to his chest as if he were a Southern Belle.

"Right," said Alice dryly.

"We're green. It's a go," announced Rich, grinning and pulling the bill of his baseball cap down in greeting. "Hey Al." 

"Hey Rich," laughed Alice, unable to help being amused by the overtly flirtatious way Ed was looking at the engineer. "I guess I should do the intro?" She looked at the other band members then back to Ed. "Are we ready for… you know?"

"Ready, willing, and slippery eager," said Ed in naughty tones that made Alice roll her eyes before heading over to the stage. 

Slowly but surely making her way through the crowd, Alice looked back to see Ed in deep discussion with not only Rich but Howie as well. She frowned at this but didn't have time to wonder about it as she felt a quick grab to her ass that could or could not have been on purpose. Either way, it made her hurry up and get onstage to introduce the band.

She would just have to worry about the conversation the boys were having later.

\---

"You actually didn't tell her?" said Tonya in a state of absolute disbelief. Although she wasn't sure exactly why she was feeling that way. This was a very Dana thing to do. The athlete feared emotional confrontations and she disliked rocking the boat… so why would she tell Alice about the dating portion of the game if Alice wasn't going to see it? "Dana…" Tonya wanted to say something but instead she trailed off before releasing a noise of pure aggravation.

This was going to cause problems and Tonya hated problems. She hated them because they always led to trouble and trouble led to distraction and distraction led to lessened focus on work goals and that led to… you guessed it, no money.

And no money makes Tonya angry. And to be frank, you wouldn't like Tonya when she was angry. You wouldn't like her at all.

This was something that Dana was busy recalling on watching her Manager squeeze her eyes shut and pinch the bridge of her nose. "Dana," she said the name very slowly and very calmly. "You need to tell Alice." Even though her eyes were shut, Tonya could somehow sense Dana was opening her mouth to make a reply and held up a hand to stop her. "I don't mean tell her tonight, Dana. I simply mean tell her. You must tell her before the date actually happens tomorrow, do you understand?" She paused and though her eyes were still shut it seemed to Dana as if she was waiting for the athlete to nod her head in agreement and so she did. Once the nodding had occurred, Tonya continued, "I want you to tell her not for the personal well being of your romance because that is none of my concern but for your own state of mind. You will have to go on that date tomorrow no matter what and I think it will go far smoother if your girlfriend had knowledge of it." Another pause and Dana nodded her head fiercely, somehow thinking Tonya could figure out the level of her reaction enthusiasm. "Good," said Tonya, releasing a weary sigh. Opening her eyes and lifting her head, she studied the figure of an extremely chastised looking Dana Fairbanks and formed a small grin. "You're doing great out there," she said in a genuine compliment. "The crowd loves you. Are you having fun?"

"Yeah, I am," said Dana, looking almost embarrassed to admit such a thing. Though that probably had more to do with the fact that she was enjoying herself while keeping a secret from her girlfriend. A secret that she knew would make her upset. Just thinking of this fact instantly deflated the athlete and she bit on her bottom lip and flexed her fingers. "Tonya?"

"Yes?" asked Tonya, gentle as she could manage.

"I'll tell her," Dana vowed quietly, her voice soft but fierce in the adamant nature of the phrase. Looking up so Tonya could see the resolve in her blue eyes, Dana repeated, "I'll tell her."

"Good," replied Tonya with a smile.

\---

"Are you having a good time yet?" Ed boomed into the microphone, smiling at the audience who cheered at these words. "Oh, I'm so glad," he purred. "Because I need some excited and eager men to come up onstage for a special performance." At the cat calls this received, he chuckled, "It's nothing that will get us arrested, darlings. Just a bit of fun audience participation and once it's through, we shall begin the request part of our show where myself and the band will play whatever song your little gay hearts desire."

The crowd cheered enthusiastically at this and Ed chuckled, "You like that, don't you? But first I need those eager men to volunteer for some fun onstage. Who wants to do it? Raise your hand if you're sure." Squinting and looking through the crowd, Ed clucked his tongue and declared, "I've made my decisions! I shall now tell them to my faithful girl slave, Alice Pieszecki from KCRW's The Chart, and she will find you in this teeming bastion of people and instruct you further." After Ed said this, Alice moved over to him and he leaned in and whispered in her ear while pointing out a few men in the crowd. The blonde frowned then said something in reply but Ed waved her off and she rolled her eyes irritably before jumping off the stage and into the audience to retrieve the men. "And there she goes!" Ed cried out happily, clapping his hands. "Isn't she butch and sexy! Go and gather my men, slave girl minion!" He chuckled low into the microphone. "I feel very megalomaniac and that doesn't go with this song but oh well."

Turning to the band and holding up his index finger then jerking his thumb, the bass guitar started in and Ed turned back to the microphone to sing, "Many colors in the homo rainbow.  
Don't be afraid to let your colors shine."

"Many colors in the homo rainbow," sang Ed with a smile, locking eyes with Alice who was gathering the long haired and very pierced punker he had pointed out. The punker looked at Alice in vague surprise and turned his attention to the singer as if making sure it wasn't a mistake. Ed simply stretched his arm out playfully in a come hither movement and the punker grinned and rubbed mohawk covered head. "Show me yours. I'm gonna show you mine."

"If you find a pot of gold, every little thing is gonna work out fine," Ed continued and couldn't help the laugh emerging in his voice as a rather portly gay man with a beard looked at Alice wide eyed and mouthed 'me' in shocked response to her asking him to come with her. When the man looked to Ed, the singer nodded his head and waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner that made the man turn bright red. "In the homo rainbow. Many colors in the homo rainbow. You give me shade from black to yellow."

"Many colors in the homo rainbow. A warm embrace and a kind-a hello," sang Ed who grinned in pleasure, watching Alice go up his final choice for audience participation. The lithe strawberry blonde shrieked in excitement when Alice spoke to him, making his sequined vest and short shorts lose some of their dazzling pink sparkle in the process. He looked to Ed and blew him a huge kiss by way of thanks and Ed returned the gesture before singing, "If you find a pot of gold. Every little thing is gonna work out fine. In the homo rainbow."

All three of the chosen men safely gathered, Ed observed Alice talking with Rich, no doubt asking about the other two spots she had to fill. Smiling at the stunned look forming on her face, Ed turned back to the microphone and sang, "If you find a pot of gold, every little thing is gonna work out fine. In the homo rainbow."

"Every single color, every walk of life," he continued to sing, looking at Alice out of the corner of his eye and grinning at her expression as Rich told her that he and Howie were the final two participants in the show. "In and out changin', every day and night. From the golden shores of Kansas, to the middle of Japan. Reach inside your soul and learn your fellow man."

The crowd began cheering as the song died down and Ed smiled and intoned solemnly, "There are many colors in the homo rainbow. Don't be afraid to let your colors shine."

"Did you enjoy that?" questioned Ed, smiling and pushing back a stray lock of hair. When the crowd cheered, he grinned happily and said, "You'll love this number then, my darlings. It comes to us courtesy of a wholesome family oriented multi conglomerate international Matrix like entity that we all simply call Disney. And please," he rumbled into the microphone. "Be kind to those gorgeous men behind me that are being nice and helping us out with this number."

After saying this, Ed moved back from the microphone to have a short discussion with Alice, Rich, Howie and the three men from the audience. The men left the conversations all wearing huge smiles on their faces and looking at Ed more than a little adoringly while Alice simply rolled her eyes and headed off to only return seconds later with a cordless microphone. She and the others hung back behind Ed on the center of the stage and they all held individual pieces of paper which they were studying intently.

The dramatic and warlike beat of the drums filled the air, accompanied by the low sound of the bass guitar, revving up the crowd as Ed sang the opening lyrics, "Let's get down to business, to defeat the Huns. Did they send me daughters?" Ed sang this lyric playfully and sidled up to Rich, cupping his chin before moving away with a skip. "When I asked for sons?" Waving at the men memorizing their lines, he looked to the crowd and sang energetically, "You're the saddest bunch, I ever met. But you can bet before we're through. Mister," Ed drew the word out long and leaned close to a bodybuilder in the audience. "I'll make a man out of you."

"Tranquil as a forest," sang Ed softly, cupping the microphone tenderly. He pumped his fist suddenly and sang on, "But on fire within. Once you find your center, you are sure to win." Turning on his heel, he pointed at the men who were still busy reading their lines. Ed crossed over to Alice who he knew very well already knew her line and continued, "You're a spineless, pale pathetic lot." Grinning widely, he tapped Alice on the side of her head, moving away with a playful leap when she shoved at him. "And you haven't got a clue." He looked to Alice and she nodded her head then quickly ran over to the punker who looked up at her with eyes gleaming with excitement. "Somehow I'll make a man out of you…"

Ed pointed at the punker who spoke into the cordless microphone that Alice provided in front of him with jumpy but clear happiness, "I'm never gonna catch my breath."

"Say goodbye to those who knew me," the portly man pronounced proudly when Alice ran up to him with the microphone, smiling widely at Ed while he did so.

"Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym," Howie remarked casually, tugging at his tight magenta t-shirt and lifting it up to reveal his perfect abs before a scowling Alice pulled it back down, to much audience boos, then ran towards Rich.

Grinning at the boos that Alice was still getting, Rich lifted up his own shirt to reveal his not so perfect abs but the audience seemed to enjoy them all the same and remarked, "This guy's got 'em scared to death."

Swiftly turning on her heel to face the audience, Alice wore a huge grin as she then sang with exaggerated and high pitched fear, "Hope he doesn't see right through me."

That done, Alice unfroze and ran over to the man in dazzling sequins who smiled charmingly at her and sang with utmost comedic flair, "Now I really wish that I knew how to swim."

Soon as he finished his lyric, Alice along with Rich headed off stage and returned with two microphone stands. They set them up quickly while Ed continued singing, "We must be swift as the coursing river. With all the force of a great typhoon."

"With all the strength of a raging fire," announced Ed powerfully, looking behind him and grinning when he saw Alice and Rich explaining what was coming next to the men who were now thoroughly into their parts. "Mysterious as the dark side of the moon. Time is racing toward us," Ed focused back on the audience, kneeling down and singing to the Miss Congeniality winner for the drag queen beauty contest. "Till the Huns arrive. Heed my every order and you might survive. You're unsuited for the rage of war," he scoffed, standing back up and facing the men who were gathered in groups of three around the two microphone stands. Waving his hands and forming a generally dismissive posture towards them, he continued, "So pack up, go home, you're through. How could I make a man out of you?"

And in response to this, the men gathered along with Alice, leaned forward and sang in booming tones, "Be a man."

Wearing a smile so large it threatened to crack his face at the huge audience reaction to them singing the chorus, Ed turned back to them and sang, "We must be swift as the coursing river."

"Be a man," came the booming chorus once again, this time with some of the audience members singing along.

"With all the force of a great typhoon," Ed asserted, forming a fist and pumping it as he prowled the stage. 

"Be a man," the chorus and audience sang together, although many of those in the audience noticed that they seemed to be planning something else. The chorus was once again a flurry of activity, putting the microphone stands off stage. 

"With all the strength of a raging fire," sang Ed in commanding tones, looking every ounce the leader that the song entailed. "Mysterious as the dark side of the moon."

"Be a man," the band boomed the lyric this time and as soon as they did the men and Alice moved into dramatic poses. The punker raised a fist as if he was going to punch someone, the portly man formed an Incredible Hulk in a rage pose, Howie aimed a fake spear, Rich had a classic body builder pose, Alice looked ready to give a Kung Fu chop, the sequined man held up a gun as if he was a Charlie's Angel.

"We must be swift as the coursing river," Ed's voice could barely be heard over the cheers of the audience.

"Be a man," the band boomed again. The punker formed a fierce scowl and pointed at the audience in a threatening manner, the portly man flexed his biceps, Howie posed as if doing a high flying kick, Rich spun around and waved his butt at the audience who cheered insanely at this, Alice rolled her eyes and formed a fake punching motion, the sequined man opened his mouth and tilted his head back provocatively.

"With all the force of a great typhoon," sang Ed, waggling his eyebrows at the sequined man who smiled largely and returned the attention in spades. 

"Be a man," the band boomed one last time. The punker leapt on his feet as if on the attack, the portly man moved into a fierce gesture of defense, Howie stood blankly for a moment then wore a huge shit eating grin and whipped off his t-shirt to throw it into the crowd, Rich laughed at this then followed suit before turning and waving his butt yet again, Alice stared at their now lost shirts and did something similar to the lumberjack dance, the sequined man slid over to Ed and hung on him while playfully tracing the line of his jaw.

"With all the strength of a raging fire," Ed sang the final lyrics with an enormous amount of pleasure and huge dramatic flair, grinning at the sequined man's attention and leaning into his touch. "Mysterious as the dark side of the moon."

Then with much guitars and drums and fanfare, the song was over and the audience erupted into applause as Ed, the band, and their volunteer chorus all formed 'be a man' poses.

Amongst all the applause and audience attention, Alice somehow managed to slip out of The Planet mostly unnoticed. Mostly because someone did notice her departure. Someone who had watched the performance with affectionate and caring eyes. Someone named Gabby Deveaux.

\---

"Bachelorette Number One," began Dana after the laughter faded from the answer to her last question. "Describe our first date."

"I think it would have to start with me cooking you dinner," Bachelorette Number One said, shifting in her seat and smiling nervously. "Then after we're done eating, we could take a walk on the beach, and then…" She trailed off and blushed dark red. "I guess we'll see where it goes from there."

There was a response of catcalls and cheers from the audience and Dana laughed at this. Megan shook her head and remarked dryly, "I think we know where you all see where that's going. I'm not sure if Dana agrees though."

"I might," said Dana in teasing response, her words mostly brought on from the slight boos Megan was getting from her remark. Immediately she was met with much cheering and she chuckled then looked back at her card. "Bachelorette Number Three," she called out. "Same question, but a different answer, I hope."

"My idea of a perfect date," Bachelorette Number Three purred and formed an altogether seductive expression. "Would be you and I, naked in a large bed with silk sheets and a bowl of melted chocolate and paintbrushes, staying there until we're completely… licked clean."

The reaction to this was too diverse to properly explain, the squeals, the remarks, the laughter, the cheers, the general chaos of the entire game show at that moment. And there was Dana, completely caught up in it all. Lost in the admiring looks from her fans and the downright explicit sound of them wording their desires aimed at her. Unaware that as this all went on Alice stood in the back of the tent, watching every second.

But Tonya did and she tried to stop Alice's fast paced exit from the tent, reaching for her arm but she stopped cold on seeing the look in dark brown eyes when they settled on her. "Alice," began Tonya hesitantly, not sure for once in her life about what exactly to say. "It's just…"

"Just what? Business? A promotion? Harmless fun?" Alice rattled off the options one by one, her voice getting increasingly bitter with each word spoken. She looked like she was going to say something else but closed her eyes and took a huge shuddering breath. After a moment, she stared ahead, looking out into the inky black night and said, "I won't make a scene." She turned to Howie who was hanging back, a worried look on his features and Gino's jacket hanging on his bare shoulders. "Stay with your big sis, okay kid? I want to be alone."

"Alice--" Howie took a step forward.

"Stay here please," Alice's voice was shaking and she tried to gain control of her trembling body. Then she looked at Tonya with teary eyes that held such hurt the woman almost flinched at it. "She should have told me," Alice simply said before walking away.

Watching Alice go, Tonya replied sadly, "I know."

\---

Similar to Alice's exit, just one person noticed when she reentered The Planet, though at first she didn't notice the desolation the blonde was carrying with her now. She was too caught up in the fun of the audience requests and the general joy of the band's performance.

"Alice!" exclaimed Gabby happily, bounding over to her and gushing with feeling good vibrations. "You were great up there! I forgot how well you can sing when you really want to."

"Gabby," said Alice, forming a tight smile and pushing through the crowd, only vaguely aware the brunette was following after her. "I'm glad you liked the show. We worked hard on it."

"Hey, wait up," said Gabby, softly taking hold of Alice's hand and stilling her walk. She pulled Alice over to one of the less crowded sections of the wall and looked at her with worried eyes. "Hey," she repeated in a quiet murmur, peering into Alice's eyes. "What's going on? You were in a great mood when you left. What happened?"

"Nothing happened," Alice shoved Gabby's hands and gesture of kindness away from her, both of which were only serving to upset and confuse her further and she really didn't need that. Who would've thought the day would come when Dana would make her cry and Gabby would be the one to comfort her? The world was fucking upside down and stuck in Bizarro land. "Just leave me alone. There's nothing wrong, okay? I have to go to work… I need to go to work."

Frowning as she observed the blonde heading onstage, Gabby ran the conversation over in her mind and focused on one thing. That she had asked Alice what was going on and Alice had replied that nothing was wrong when Gabby hadn't asked that at all. She asked what was going on not what was wrong, Alice had offered the wrong portion all on her own. Which very plainly meant that something was indeed wrong.

And that didn't sit well with Gabby. Not when Alice had only minutes ago been the happiest she had possibly seen her. When she was onstage performing it was like Gabby was sucked into a time portal and she saw Alice as she was the first time they met. Playing with Ed's band, her hair wild, her smile glittering, her voice… god, her voice. 

Now it was fucking gone and that pissed Gabby off. It pissed her off enough that she wanted to do something about it. She wanted to try and get that Alice back. The Alice she had just seen. The Alice that she had fallen madly in love with. The Alice that, if she was honest, she was still madly in love with. That's why when the song ended and Ed asked for the next audience request, she pushed her way to the front.

"I have a request!" Gabby shouted forcefully, enough to gain Alice's attention and therefore Ed's. As predicted, the blonde paused in her onstage activities and stared at Gabby in shock and Ed blinked then scowled slightly on recognizing Gabby. She narrowed her eyes and mouthed to him silently 'she's upset dickwad', and Ed glanced at Alice with surprise to then look back at Gabby with eyes veiled in dislike for her but still holding a silent agreement. "But I want KCRW's Alice Pieszecki of The Chart to sing the song for me!"

The audience burst into cheers at this and Alice looked around in panicked surprise. Ed went over to talk with her but she pushed past him to run to the edge of the stage and drop to her hands and knees. Her face next to Gabby's, she demanded in a hiss, "Gabby! What the fuck are you doing? This isn't fucking funny, you know! We're live on the air!"

"I want you to sing for me," said Gabby, playing innocent and batting her eyes in a coquettish manner. "I want you to sing our very special song, Alice." She clasped her hands and held them under chin. "Our love song. You do remember it, don't you?"

For a moment, Alice looked at Gabby as if she just said she was on crack then she formed a slow smile and said, "Our love song, huh? You really want me to sing that for you?"

"I do," said Gabby who pouted her full lips.

"You're such a fucking bitch," Alice chuckled low in her throat before diving forward to seize Gabby's lips in a fast but fierce kiss. Then she rose to her feet and accepted the guitar that Ed was handing to her and stepped up to the microphone. "I guess I'll be singing this song," she drawled into it, smiling at the cheers from the audience. "Oh goody, you like. I'm glad because you know… I'm not sure how gay this song is. But it was requested so here we go."

Saying this, she turned back to the band to discuss the song they were about to play and when Alice turned back, Ed was already playing the opening riff. Grinning largely, Alice went up to the microphone and grabbed it in her hands, leaning it down and looking right at Gabby, who stood directly below her, as she sang, "Wynona's got herself a big brown beaver. And she shows it off to all her friends." When the audience started cheering and laughing at the lyrics, Alice drawled, "One day, you know, that beaver tried to leave her. So she caged him up with cyclone fence."

"Along came Lou with the old baboon," sang Alice as she smiled slowly and locked eyes with Gabby who stuck her tongue out in a licking gesture. Laughing at this, Alice looked over to Ed who wore a worried expression but gave her a grin nevertheless. "And said, 'Recognize that smell?' Smells like seven layers, that beaver eats Taco Bell."

"Now Rex he was a Texan out of New Orleans," Alice told the tale matter of factly, finishing off the last guitar riff and looking out into the audience. "And he traveled with the carnival shows. He ran bumper cars, sucked cheap cigars. And he candied up his nose. He got wind of the big brown beaver. So he though he'd take himself a peek." Finishing this lyric off, she grabbed the microphone off the stand and walked the stage as she continued on, "But the beaver was quick and grabbed him by the kiwis. Now he ain't pissed for a week!"

This lyric finished off, Alice stalked back to the stand and put the microphone back where it belonged and proceeded to begin the ripping guitar solo the song required. Sinking to her knees as she played, Alice looked up amidst her playing and met Gabby's eyes that gleamed dark in desire, joy, and maybe even love if she looked close enough. But Alice didn't want to look, no not at all. She wanted to forget and lose herself in the music. That was what it was for.

Rising to her feet as the guitar solo died off, Alice let the guitar hang at her waist and grabbed the microphone to sing, "Now Wynona took her big brown beaver. And she stuck him up in the air." Pausing to soon wear a face of utter sensual provocation, Alice's voice lowered in a husky tone as she sang, "Said I sure do love this big brown beaver. And I wish I did have a pair."

"Now the beaver once slept for seven days," Alice once again sang the song in matter of fact tones, smirking and lifting her eyebrows humorously. "And it gave us all an awful fright. So I tickled his chin and I gave him a pinch. And the bastard tried to bite me! Wynona loved her big brown beaver. And she stroked him all the time," she boomed the lyric out exuberantly and grinned widely as the end lyrics to the song finally arrived. "She pricked her finger one day and it occurred to her she might have a porcupine!"

The song required another ripping guitar solo and perhaps this might have been ignored on other nights but it was obvious to the band Alice wanted this, no, needed this so they let the second solo stay in. Her face lost in the music and hard with concentration, the blonde sank to her knees and slid off the stage to play the solo in the teaming audience. Though she only paid attention to a single person, the one who had requested the song, and the one who had somehow turned her bad mood into something entirely more tolerable.

Alice only had eyes for Gabby and Gabby certainly only had eyes for Alice as she played the guitar. Sweat making her tank tops cling perfectly to her skin, her hair a glorious mess, eyes dark and shining with excitement, looking at Gabby deep and endless as she finished her solo off with a spectacular roar.

Unaware that as this all went on, in a shining moment of perfect and painful irony, Dana stood in the back of the club, watching every second.

\---

Love wasn't something that Dana Fairbanks thought she was good at. Then again, there wasn't much Dana thought she was good at in this life really. The only thing she had a talent for, in her humble opinion, was playing tennis.

Just playing tennis.

And wasn't that a fucking sad thing to be good at? It wasn't like being good at something useful, you know. Like being good at helping people, like being a teacher, or good at healing people, like being a doctor, or even good at entertaining people like Alice did in being a writer.

She was good at swinging a racket and running across a court and hitting a ball back at another person at incredibly fast speeds. It wasn't something to be impressed with, not when you stopped and considered it. Her career was probably one of the most pointless things on the Earth if you thought about it for more than a few seconds.

But for some reason it had gained her fame and somewhat of a fortune as well as some celebrity notoriety. Leading her to have sponsors and promotions and obligations which then led to her doing things she probably shouldn't. Things she knew weren't wise when it came to love and her relationship with Alice and she still did it anyway because it was all she had. Playing the game of tennis, that is.

She wasn't good at anything else and when her career ended, most likely in a few short years, Dana had no idea what she would do with herself. Perhaps teach tennis because it was all she knew and all she thought she was good at.

Dana loved Alice desperately, she had loved her that way for years now and all she wanted in that time was to be with her in the way she was now. Even though it was all she wanted, at the same time it was all she feared because Dana knew who she was. She wasn't someone who lived in a state of denial about her own faults as a person. Not at all.

Instead she embraced her faults and used them as a handy excuse to keep her from doing things that frightened her. That was how she kept her feelings for Alice to herself for years. By saying over and over in her head and in her heart all she was good at was playing tennis. 

That no matter how much she loved Alice, how much she was in love with her, she would wreck it because she just didn't know how to deal with love and relationships. They were out of her league, past her understanding, and she would surely ruin things and end up losing Alice.

Somehow it had happened though.

By some spectacular miracle Dana was with Alice and Dana was loved by Alice and she knew, god, she knew without a doubt that Alice was in love with her. She had gotten her greatest wish and sadly, she now thought she fucked it all up.

And for what? Playing tennis? Her career? The fans? Tonya? Bill? She had no idea why this happened, why she went along with the stupid promotion she knew would hurt Alice, why she hadn't been able to tell the writer of it, Dana didn't have an answer for any of these things.

All she knew was that she was sorry, sorrier than she had ever been and she felt like she wanted to die because here she was, lying in bed with Alice and afraid to touch her. She was on the right side of the bed and the journalist was on the left and they were lying awake, tucked under the covers, with an ocean between them and a horrible silence filling the air.

She wanted to touch Alice, in order to reassure herself that the blonde was there. That she wouldn't leave because of this, because of her mistake, that she still loved Dana despite what she had done. She would continue to be there, for the rest of their lives. 

Dana wanted that, no, she needed that… but she was afraid. Because of what she had done, because of how badly she had hurt Alice, because of what she had seen this night not only in regards to Gabby but the sheer pain reflected in dark brown eyes. All of that made her fear that her touch was no longer welcome and so she didn't try to touch Alice.

And that was eating her alive inside.

Touching Alice felt as natural as breathing and suddenly it was no longer that way. It no longer felt as if it was something she should be doing and that thought made Dana release a wrenching sob without realizing she was even doing so. But Alice heard and Alice realized what Dana was doing to herself, the blame she was placing for what had gone on tonight and despite how very hurt and betrayed she felt, the blonde couldn't ignore that tortured sob. That simply wasn't who she was as a person.

"Come here," Alice's husky voice sounded in the darkness and her hands reached clumsy but sure to slide under Dana's body and pull the athlete to her. 

Continuing to sob in gasping breaths, Dana's hot tears burned into Alice's skin and soaked through her plain white tank top. The brunette's body shook in her arms and it struck Alice how fragile the other woman felt at that moment. How the tennis player trembled and cried, burying herself in Alice's embrace, made her so very sad but in a strangely detached manner. Almost like she was an outsider observing her life as it was happening. She had been feeling that way since she walked into Dana's Fila promotion and realizing after a few moments it was a dating game and the women onstage were competing for romantic time with her girlfriend.

Then she just felt stupid.

Recalling over the weekend, no, not just the weekend but the past few days the number of times Dana had tried to speak to her of the Fila promotion and how she thought nothing about it. She felt stupid for not seeing Dana's nervousness for what it was, she felt stupid for being jealous of those women onstage with Dana, and mostly she felt stupid for being hurt by it.

I mean, after all… it was just a promotion, right? It wasn't like Dana was really interested in those women. Dana loved her. Dana wanted her. Dana was hers.

Dana was hers.

Yes, that was right. Alice tried to tell herself that. Just like she tried to tell herself the dating game didn't matter and she shouldn't be upset. She should forget about it. But somehow she couldn't, it hurt too much and she wasn't sure why. Was it because Dana didn't tell her?

Maybe it was that. Trust and honesty was an issue with her because of countless experiences in her life. Not only in the realm of dating but just in general. People all her life had made promises and consistently broken them. The hardest thing to gain from Alice Pieszecki was her trust but she had given it to Dana years ago… since they had first become close as friends. And since they began dating? Since they had fallen in love? That trust had only deepened.

Now Alice wondered if perhaps that was a mistake.

Putting too many expectations onto Dana and their relationship wasn't really a wise thing to do. In fact, it might end up suffocating it, crushing it under a weight they couldn't escape from and that wasn't what Alice wanted. She didn't want to trap Dana and make her feel like she had no choice in how things developed by way of their romance.

The very idea of that horrified her. And yet, she couldn't stop feeling hurt by what she had seen. Those women looking at her Dana with those fucking predatory eyes and… god, it made her disgusted remembering it. But not as disgusted as the realization that she had nothing to be jealous over and still, she was jealous and she was hurt and part of her… a tiny part that she truly hated and wanted to destroy was happy Dana was crying in her arms. That she was upset over Alice's obvious pain because it meant the athlete felt something for her.

"I'm sorry," said Dana through her sobs, clutching to Alice and lifting her head, trying her best to see the blonde through the darkness. "I'm sorry, Al. I didn't mean to hurt you… I wanted to tell you about the promotion. I did, I--"

"I don't want to talk about it, Dana," Alice interrupted and her voice was calm and a little bit cold and she seemed so very far away even though she was right next to Dana. 

"But…" Dana began in a hesitant protest. It was hesitant merely because she wasn't sure she had the right to argue with Alice about anything at this point. Certainly it didn't feel like she did.

Running her hands over the athlete's back in a comforting gesture, Alice repeated mechanically, "I don't want to talk about it." She paused and her left hand moved up to tangle into Dana's hair, massaging her scalp gently. "It doesn't matter, it's only a promotion, right?"

"Right," echoed Dana, trying once again to see Alice through the darkness and failing. She didn't like this… something was going on with the writer and she had no idea what. And, god, she wanted to know, she wanted to know so very much but again, Dana didn't feel like she could ask that. It seemed to be presumptuous to demand anything of Alice because she was the one who had committed the wrong here. Whatever Alice wanted she should go along with, it was the least that she could do but still… this bothered her. This calm acceptance was causing Dana's stomach to somehow both churn and be tied up into horrible knots. "Al?"

"Yeah?" Alice's voice seemed distant in the night.

"You know I love you," said Dana in a soft confession, tilting her head and moving closer to Alice. She slid upwards to snuggle in between the writer's legs, putting their faces just an inch apart, close enough that despite the darkness of the room she could finally see the blonde's features clearly. "I don't know why I went along with the promotion. It was dumb and--"

"It doesn't matter, Dana," Alice interrupted the tennis player once more. Though the other woman was only a breath away, she couldn't tell at all what Alice was thinking or feeling in that moment. Something which unsettled her more than anything else possibly could have. But it still wasn't nearly as unsettling as hearing Alice say again, "I don't want to talk about it."

That was when it struck Dana like a bolt of lightning. Alice didn't believe her, not really. She didn't believe Dana loved her, she didn’t believe Dana was sorry, she didn't believe any of it and it was because of what she had done. And worse than that, she didn't want to believe, she rather just ignore the situation and let it settle until a murky puddle that got bigger and bigger until it swallowed them whole. Erasing everything good about them and their relationship. 

"No, Al," Dana said in a fierce whisper, cupping Alice's face in her hands and moving down so their foreheads were resting together. "It matters. I hurt you and that matters, despite whatever you say, it matters a hell of a lot. And I'm sorry," she murmured low and soft, her voice thick with emotion as she moved her face down so it was resting side by side with Alice, their cheeks pressed together. Her hands slid carefully underneath the blonde's body to wrap around her, pulling her up and into Dana. "I'm sorry for hurting you like that. I didn't mean to but I still did, I hurt you and I wish I hadn't, Al. I wish I could take it all away but I can't."

"It's okay," said Alice, now the hesitant one because she had been about to say yet again 'it doesn't matter' but stopped when she realized Dana probably wouldn't react well. "I know you love me," she whispered. "I know that."

She heard the words and they sounded right, they sounded good, they sounded perfect in fact, but Dana knew they weren't the truth. Not at this moment. And that's when she realized words weren't good enough, they wouldn't be able to show Alice her feelings, how much she loved her, how sorry she was. Only one thing could do that, at least in Dana's mind.

Her touch.

And that's why Dana's hand slipped underneath the thin material of Alice's tank top as she pressed a kiss onto the curve of her neck. "I love you," Dana murmured into the night, pushing the shirt up and over the blonde's head. Flinging it aside and kissing the curve of one breast while cupping the weight of another in her hand. "I love you, Al."

"Dana," Alice said her name in a stark whisper.

Warm hands explored her body, soft words of love were spoken in her ear, exquisite lips captured hers for a slow kiss, and through all of it Alice felt nothing. Nothing when Dana said, her voice rough and fervent, that she loved her. Nothing when Dana slipped her hand down to play at the edges of her pussy. Nothing when Dana began a trail of wet kisses down her abdomen. She felt nothing at all.

This wasn't right, she realized vaguely. Taking note of this in a manner similar to a scientist curious about some unusual phenomena. Lacking any sort of emotion in the moment and just noting it as if it was nothing to really worry about. As if her mind had taken control of her heart and was saying to her in haughty 'I told you so' tones that this wasn't anything important.

It was only love.

Something that had failed her yet again and her mind was saying to her heart: You know what? Maybe we should give up on this. Maybe it wasn't something we were meant to have whether it be with Dana or anyone else. Maybe Gabby really was right when she told us all those years ago that love didn't really matter. That it caused more pain than joy so why bother?

Her hips automatically jumped off the bed and she released a throaty moan when Dana's tongue swept into her. Alice was riding on pilot, with her body enjoying what was happening and her mind controlling her heart, causing the both of them to just note the actions as they went on. Never truly feeling anything.

Not grasping the devotion in Dana's kiss, the overwhelming desire in her caress, and the sincere apology in her words. It wasn't registering with Alice and she knew it was wrong, not to feel anything as this was happening but she couldn't seem to make herself.

There was no anger, no jealousy, no sadness, no desire, no happiness, no confusion. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Especially not love.

Staring up blankly, Alice saw only the darkness and wondered why this was happening. Wanting to feel something, anything, and lost as to why she couldn't. Hating this empty and chilling sense of utter numbness seizing her soul.

Completely unaware that Dana had stopped her ardent attentions. The tennis player had stopped almost three minutes ago when she came to the stark realization there wasn't any honest reaction. Alice was reacting on instinct and that was all, she wasn't really there with Dana to share in her expression of love. 

Looking up, she saw the blonde was staring at the ceiling, looking at everything and nothing at all. Her face a perfect picture of a blank canvas. And with her heart in her throat and her spirits plummeting down, Dana realized something else.

The journalist didn't want this. She didn't want Dana to touch her. She didn't want Dana to kiss her. She didn't want Dana to make love to her.

Alice didn't want Dana.

Feeling sick to her stomach and squeezing her eyes tightly shut, Dana moved quietly and quickly to return to her side of the bed. Her back to Alice and arms wrapped around her frame in a meager attempt to provide herself comfort.

Three more minutes passed before Alice noticed that Dana was no longer in between her thighs, sweeping a hot and eager tongue inside of her in a delicious expression of affection and desire. Blinking at this, she looked over and saw Dana was once again on her side of the bed but now had her back facing the other woman.

"Dana?" asked Alice, her voice even and lacking feeling but somehow managing to still sound slightly perplexed. "What happened?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat, digging her nails into her skin as she held herself stronger yet, squeezing her eyes tighter shut in a hope to stave off tears, wishing that she too could feel void of emotions as the blonde clearly did, Dana found herself repeating Alice's words.

"It doesn't matter."

\---

For the third day in a row, Howie chose their outfits. The teenager had been not his usual enthusiastic self when rooting through Dana's closet, not even making the standard good lezzie tennis player clothing hides in the closet jokes while doing so. And that had practically become a standard throughout the weekend.

They were being polite. Alice and Dana were being horribly and painfully polite to each other and it made Howie nervous because it reminded him of his parents when they had an argument. His family wasn't one for big emotional moments, that's why he had been so very frightened for his sister when his parents stormed away after she came out to them.

It was also why he was afraid to come out himself, though he knew Dana had definitely helped to pave a smoother road for him to travel. When his parents fought they didn't raise their voices and they certainly didn't raise their hands in any form of anger.

What they did was worse because what they did was to seemingly shut down. Howie felt it was almost if they tossed their emotions aside and became robots who proceeded to calmly discuss why they were feeling these disturbing human feelings. Which creeped him out.

But it didn't creep him out as much as seeing his sister do the exact same thing with her girlfriend. He figured Dana would be different than their parents. That she wouldn't want to be so closed off and logical about her emotions.

To be honest, Howie didn't know it was possible she could be this way. He had seen her in so many moods over the years the mere concept that Dana could be emotionless was foreign to him. I mean, she was the person who cried for nearly five hours when her pet rabbit Snuffles died. The person who chased him all over the house when he stole a pair of her underwear and hung them up instead of the flag during the Fourth of July. The person who laughed so long and hard when he put blue dye into their mother's hair product she peed her pants.

How could that person be the one he was seeing now? 

The one with a blank expression on her face and an empty look in her eyes. This person wasn't his sister. No, this person was what was left of his sister after whatever had gone on with Alice. This person was what she became when she thought she had lost the best thing in her life. Or to be the smartass with a heart of gold that everyone knew Howie truly was, this was Dana Fairbanks without Alice Pieszecki's love. 

Any questions?

Sad to say, Howie had plenty of questions. Which he was going to voice in his standard cut to the chase I have no time for bullshit way when he felt a vibration in the front pocket of his cargo shorts as the midi sound of the Outkast song, Bombs Over Baghdad, rang out in the air. Pulling the phone from his pocket, Howie couldn't stop himself from forming a huge grin on seeing Gino's name appear on the Caller ID screen.

While Howie was a good brother he was also a teenage boy and a teenage boy with raging hormones who was in the midst of exploring his very first crush and/or romance. That meant no matter how much he really did love his sister, his brain and other parts were now solely fixated on the fact that the guy he liked was phoning him. 

And thus, he went running out of Dana's room to head downstairs for privacy in the raucous way only a teenager could and they heard him answer the phone with a boisterous, "It's about time you called!"

Unable to help grinning at Howie's visible excitement, Alice remarked fondly, "So gay."

"Yeah," murmured Dana faintly, her first and only acknowledgement that she was aware of her little brother's sexual preferences. Alice turned to face her with an expression reflecting a good deal of surprise and the athlete quirked her lips up in a wry smile. "I sort of knew you were right this whole time," she said in soft revelation. "I just had to take awhile to get used to it."

"You should talk to him today," advised Alice. "He won't ever admit it but he really is scared about this. I think what happened to you with your parents freaked him out…" She looked away from Dana, wincing as she recalled her stupidity in saying 'I have a boyfriend' during such a critical moment in the brunette's life. Releasing a sigh, she sat down on the bed and fiddled with a button to the black shirt Howie had chosen for her. "I think he could use the support of his big sister for his own coming out extravaganza, you know?" Forming a tiny grin, she turned and saw the tennis player hadn't moved from her current position, standing in front of her oak dresser. "And the kid honestly does look up to you."

Dana nodded her head in reply and they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence that neither of them quite knew how to end. Finally, unable to take anymore of this, the brunette bit down on her bottom lip then nervously said, "I’m not doing the Fila promotion."

"What?" said Alice, forming a confused frown and looking to the other woman. "But your endorsement contract--"

"I don't care about the endorsement, Al," said Dana forcefully, gaining courage and walking over to the journalist. She sat down next to her on the bed and hesitantly reached out to hold Alice's hands in her own. "I care about you, about us. This stupid Fila promotion has messed stuff up and I don't want my work to ever cause problems for us." Lifting Alice's hands to press a tender kiss to each palm, Dana murmured into the skin, "You're all I care about."

"Dana," Alice breathed her name rather wearily. Something that the athlete definitely did not think was a good thing. Averting her eyes to look across the room, Alice said, "You need to do it. This is part of your job and if you don't they could sue you for breach of contract or make your life crappy in general. I told you, I understand… it's your work."

"I know you understand but I also know this is upsetting you," said Dana, becoming frustrated despite herself. Why was Alice doing this? She knew that the dating game was bothering the writer so why was she pretending that it wasn't? Shouldn't she be happy that Dana didn't want to do the game? "It's just an endorsement, Al. Nothing that's really important." She formed a wry smile and added, "And you have to realize Tonya can get me others."

Staring at the floor, Alice remained silent for a moment then she rose to her feet and stated, "Do the promotion. The last thing I want is for you to hurt your career for my sake. Especially when it's something that isn't that big of a deal."

"Alice! It is a big deal!" exclaimed Dana, horrified that the journalist was actually trying to diminish the importance of her own feelings. Standing up and moving in front of her, she clasped Alice's shoulders then ducked her head down until they were finally eye to eye. "It's a big deal," she repeated the words soft and earnest, reaching out to tenderly stroke a pale cheek. "I know you and I know, regardless of what you say, that I hurt you with this promotion and anything that hurts you is a big deal to me, Al. It's a really big fucking deal." 

"If you know me so well and my feelings are such a big fucking deal," Alice bitterly spat out, saying the final words that quoted Dana in the harshest tone. "Then why did you do it? Why did you agree to this stupid promotion and why in the hell didn't you at least have the courtesy to tell me about it?" Dana's face fell and lost all color, something that Alice vaguely noted before she pushed past the athlete and said, "Do the promotion. I'll be busy with KCRW stuff today and I won't see a thing. That should make it easier for you."

Unable to move, unwilling to grasp what had just been said to her, and unraveling emotionally at the seams, Dana stood there. Staring at nothing at all and lost in her misery and wanting to cry but somehow lacking the capacity to do so.

Hearing distantly as Alice told Howie she was leaving and he needed to take care of Dana for her. Ignoring his questions about why he needed to do that, where would she be? She remained that way until he rushed into the room, his face a portrait of overdramatic teenage concern as he demanded to know what was going on. She had to know, Howie declared, because she was the girlfriend. Where was Alice going?

And collapsing down, tears escaping her eyes as her little brother's surprisingly strong and capable arms gathered her in comforting embrace, Dana answered, "Away from me."

\---

Though Gabby was a smart person she wasn't a wise person. Which explained quite a many things she did in her life, including going to a KCRW event in hopes of seeing Alice and further integrating herself into the journalist's good graces all with Lara standing happily at her side. 

Gabby was probably the furthest thing from wise at this point but she didn't really care. The only thing on her mind was the fact that last night Alice had kissed her and it was a kiss from the old days. Ones filled with laughter and smart ass jokes and sex that had nearly blown her mind. She wanted those days back again.

No matter how much she did care for Lara and no matter how close she was, almost equal to Alice, when it came to the category of having mind blowing sex. No, she couldn't dwell on that. She had her plan and it was best to stick to it.

After all, it was already working so very well. But that hardly surprised her. She had arranged it down to nearly every last detail in order to ensure success. And it went like this…

Step 1: Become friends with Alice. Actual friends. Gain her trust and her confidence and use that to point out the more than obvious problems in her relationship with Dana.

Step 2: Play the innocent victim when Dana realizes, eventually through her fog of sheer density, what she is doing. Back away from Alice in order to provide peace to their relationship and further endear herself to the blonde in this way.

Step 3: Reveal during an intimate heart to heart or some other disgustingly cheesy situation to Alice that she still isn't over her. But she's trying her best because she wants to have what Alice has with Dana but it she finds it hard because the feelings haven't managed to go away.

Step 4: Wait for the eventual blow out fight between Alice and Dana. Wait for the teary phone call from Alice. Wait for the angry words from Dana. Wait to give an apology to Alice. And wait for Alice to finally surrender and they have sex.

Step 5: Keep Alice as her own.

Step 6: Somehow and somewhere along the way break up with Lara. Preferably before she gets too hurt by all of this.

Out of all the steps, the last one was the most difficult for Gabby because she didn't want to break up with Lara and she especially didn't want to hurt her. Hurting Lara was rather like kicking a sick puppy who only had three legs. There just wasn't anything meaner in the world.

And what Gabby was doing to Alice and Dana, or planning to do anyway, wasn't mean. It was underhanded, sneaky, and the epitome of selfish but it wasn't mean. But hurting Lara was.

Mulling over this and fighting the stupid urge to brood yet again, Gabby searched through the sea of people as they neared the KCRW stage to look for Alice. She saw the blonde standing off to one side of the stage, frown etched deep onto the planes of her face and her arms folded over her chest in a defensive posture.

"Hey, there's Alice," said Gabby, shading her eyes with one hand while the other reached down to hold Lara's. Looking to the redhead and grinning, she asked, "Want to say hello?"

"Sure," Lara replied warmly, returning the grin. "Maybe we can ask her what Dana's up to. I heard something about her doing a few big promotions during Pride."

Heaving an inward sigh of relief, Gabby led the way through the crowd until they stood in front of Alice who didn't notice their presence until they said her name. Then the blonde lifted her head and blinked at them before offering a pathetic attempt at a smile as she said, "Gabby and Lara. My favorite odd couple. What's up?"

"Not much," said Gabby, her eyes gleaming and studying Alice closely. Something was definitely the matter. She had known that since last night but after her performance onstage, the other woman vacated The Planet with Dana and she never got to hear what was bothering her. Perhaps now was the perfect time to find out. Tilting her head and putting on her very best innocent expression, she asked, "Where's your tennis player?"

The reaction was instantaneous. Alice's face darkened and her jaw tightened and her eyes grew lidded and distant. She looked off to one side and replied in chilly tones, "On a date."

"A date?" echoed Lara, looking perplexed and worried. "Why would she be on a date? Dana's with you… she loves you," Lara said these last words in a way that implied she felt this was an honest and simple truth. Something that couldn't be argued with in the slightest of degrees. That's the reason she felt so perplexed and worried. "Why would she do that?"

"It's a promotion for Fila," stated Alice, appearing to not want to discuss this at all. She darted her eyes around and turned to lock her gaze with a fellow KCRW employee who waved at her. Waving back, she turned to the couple and said, "I've got to get to work. See you guys."

They watched Alice disappear into the crowd to then appear moments later on the stage, wearing a decent facsimile of her normally bright smile as she greeted the audience. Both of them feeling concerned and wanting to intervene to help the blonde through whatever was troubling her. But for horribly different reasons and intentions.

\---

"You don't have to do this, you know," Howie reminded his sister for perhaps the fiftieth time since they got into her car to drive to the where the Fila promotion was taking place. "We can call Tonya and she can just cancel the whole thing."

"I need to do it," said Dana quietly. She bit her lip and thumped her head against the driver's side window. They had been parked outside the tent where they were supposed to meet up with Tonya and her 'date' for nearly fifteen minutes now. "Alice told me to," her voice shook as she said this. "She wants me to do this… she doesn't care."

Releasing a loud noise of irritation, Howie replied, "First off that is complete bullshit, big sis. Alice totally cares or she wouldn't have gotten as pissy with you as she did. And second off, you need to stop doing stuff because people tell you to. That's the lamest thing ever."

"I know," Dana said shakily, releasing a matching laugh. She started to wipe at her eyes then groaned and turned to Howie then asked, "Is my make up a mess?" She snorted and rolled her eyes and muttered, "Not that it really matters."

"Your make up is smudged," revealed Howie, who popped open the glove compartment and pulled out a kleenex from the portable pack. "You're so like Mom," he said derisively, facing her once again. "All with the kleenex, first aid kit, and spare cell phone charger in the glove compartment deal. I think I was wrong. You being like Mom is the lamest thing ever."

"There's nothing wrong with being prepared," protested Dana grumpily. Scooting back when Howie moved towards her with kleenex in hand. "Quit it!" she whapped lightly at his hands to then pull the kleenex away. "You'll poke my eyes out trying to fix my mascara."

"Excuse me for not being guru of women's make up," Howie declared in haughty tones, handing the kleenex over and watching as she looked in the rear view mirror to fix it herself. Looking from Dana and facing forward, he bit on his bottom lip and said timidly, "Dane?"

Hearing the uncertainty in his voice and recognizing it in her own when she had spoken to her parents all those many months ago, Dana kept her gaze in the mirror and replied, "Yeah?"

Silence and silence and even more silence. 

Then Howie cleared his throat, shifted in his seat, and fiddled with his puka shell necklace as he said, "I'm going to be lame now because this is totally bad timing and it's selfish but… I've been wanting to tell you something this whole weekend and I kept putting it off. Not because I was scared of you because, you know," he darted his gaze to her and grinned impishly. "You're like the least scary thing ever. But just because, I dunno… I couldn't find the stupid words." He sighed irritably and muttered, "If that makes sense."

"It makes sense," said Dana softly, in reassurance. Smiling encouragingly at him and locking their eyes when he faced her once again. "I feel that way all the time."

Returning the smile, Howie looked forward and continued in his quiet confession of sorts, "I kind of lied before. I'm not scared of you but I am scared… of Mom and Dad. I was hoping, you know, with you being the big sister and all, you could maybe help me with them."

Howie darted his gaze over to Dana who had a smile quirked on her lips and an eyebrow lifted. "Help you in what way?" she teased. "By telling them about your love of silk under things?"

"Dude," groaned Howie, losing all his tension and thumping backwards. "You know with what."

"Yeah," said Dana kindly, releasing a fond laugh. When he looked at her, she once again had a playful smile on her lips. "But tell me for the sake of record."

"Fine," huffed Howie, rolling his eyes and folding his arms over his muscular chest. "I'm gay. I like boys. I like to kiss them, I like to touch them, I like to--"

"That's enough, How!" Dana exclaimed, laughing and throwing up her hands in a cease and desist gesture. "I think I get the idea." She reached over and wrapped an arm around his back to pull him towards her for a fierce hug. To then remark humorously, "It's not even that big of a surprise when you think about it. You did steal a pair of Mom's high heels and refused to take them off for a month when you were four."

Pulling out of the hug, Howie scowled fiercely and pointed at Dana and said in his best attempt at threatening tones, "You're never to repeat that story to one of my boyfriends. Got it?"

"Got it," chuckled Dana, nodding her head solemnly. "I will never repeat that story but I will repeat others which contain far worse incidents. Maybe the one involving you, Mom's wedding dress, and that sparkly glitter kit I got as a prize from our Church bingo."

"Evil!" Howie shrieked, deciding to pull a Dana and grabbing her nose to squeeze it tight. She released a cry of amusement and instinctive protest at this as he shook her head lightly to and fro. "You're an evil lesbian tennis playing big sister."

Dana was about to reply when a light rapping came from the car window and she turned to face that way, with Howie still pinching her nose shut. What she was greeted by was a droll looking Tonya who lifted an eyebrow in speculation at the scene playing out before her. Then she said, "We have to get going. The promotion is starting in five minutes." She paused and a slight gleam appeared in her eyes as she asked in overly concerned tones, "Unless you're feeling under the weather, that is. Because no client of mine does promotions while they're sick. It just is not done. No matter what the endorsement deal maintains."

Looking from Tonya to Howie, who continued to pinch her nose, and seeing the exact same expression of quiet support Dana realized she could get through this. Not only the stupid Fila promotion but the problems she was having with Alice. She could get through anything if she had people like this who cared for her and were willing to help her along the way.

"No," said Dana, sounding horribly nasal thanks to Howie. "I'll do it."

\---

Fortune favors the bold and if Gabby was anything, she was bold which was why she had to gloat in her good luck when Lara got a frantic call from Kit saying that their chef for the day had come down with food poisoning of all things and they needed her in right away. Gabby played the part of the good girlfriend, sad but resigned that Lara had to go, and then reveled in the fact that she could be alone with Alice.

Step 1 of the plan could now begin.

Winding her way through the crowd until she was standing behind Alice, she waited until the exact moment when Gabby felt it would have the best effect then leaned forward to murmur in her ear, "Why are you letting your girlfriend date?"

Jumping slightly, Alice had her hand over her heart when she turned to face Gabby and said sarcastically, "Give me a fucking heart attack, why don't you?"

"Answer the question," demanded Gabby carelessly, arching an eyebrow and putting on an expression of clinical interest. "Why are you letting your girlfriend date? And please," she rolled her eyes. "Don't even try to say that you're not letting her do anything. Because you so are."

"No I'm not," said Alice, her sarcasm returning in full force. "It's her work and work isn't something you let someone do. It's what they have to do. That's why they call it work and not fun. Or can't you of the many changing jobs grasp that concept?"

"It's not her work," Gabby rolled her eyes again. "Her work is running across a court and whacking a ball back at another woman. This is something she does to make money but sure as hell isn't her job. And anyway," she lifted an eyebrow and studied Alice thoughtfully. "I bet she offered not to go, right? And you told her to anyway while trying to act like it didn't bother you. That's what you do when you're upset, you know. Try to pretend that you aren't." Gabby smirked and leaned forward to say in tones of false confidentiality, "It would work if you didn't happen to suck so immensely at it."

"Gabby," said Alice in exasperation, rubbing her forehead and squeezing her eyes shut. "What do you want, huh? What the hell is this anyway? Don't you have better things to do than harass me about my stupid love life?"

"Your love life amuses me and no, I don't have anything better to do," said Gabby in sardonic reply. She considered Alice for a moment then remarked in offhandedly, "Though I find myself stunned by your hypocrisy involving your tennis player."

"What?" asked Alice sharply.

Shrugging her shoulders, Gabby met Alice's hard stare and said, "You kissed me." When brown eyes went wide at this, she lifted an eyebrow and drawled, "Yeah. Forgot about that did we? Lets not leave out the guitar solo type seduction you were trying to put on. Which nearly worked, by the way," Gabby confessed with a slow smile. "I do love a woman with a Fender slung around her and showing off her talented hands."

Alice didn’t reply and her face became an emotionless mask. Sighing on seeing this, Gabby said, "Don't you think whatever your dimwitted jock did was just as bad as you kissing me? I'm thinking you both made some mistakes that night. Why not put each other in the even category and get past it?" Alice's jaw clenched and the dark haired woman could see she was having some effect. That's why she pressed a gentle hand to the small of Alice's back and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "If you love her then isn't that all that really matters?"

Those things said, Gabby turned and walked away. Unaware she had renounced her own words to Alice from years ago that had been haunting the blonde ever since. And especially unaware that by doing so she made Alice's love for Dana that much stronger.

Perhaps it was best she didn't know that though.

\---

The date wasn't probably turning out like it was meant to but Dana found herself incredibly grateful for that. Even if her date was visibly irritated with these turn of events. The turn being the fact that they were being chaperoned by not only Tonya but Howie and Gino as well.

Both of whom weren't the most quiet or subtle of people.

Tonya and Howie, that is. Gino was the example of good manners and polite behavior, sitting next to Howie with a shy smile gracing his features whenever the other boy would scoot closer to whisper something in his ear. He wasn't really sure why they were there but it didn't bother him much, he just wanted to spend time with Howie, after all. 

"I was so sorry to hear about Mr. Piddles," the date confessed, her eyes wide and eager, looking as if she wanted to reach for Dana's hands. Causing the tennis player to shove them into the pockets of her white linen pants. "Did they figure out the cause of death?"

"How do you know about Mr. Piddles?" asked Dana, feeling more than a little disturbed.

"Your May interview with Tennis Industry Magazine," the date chirped off in an automatic answer. "You mentioned that you felt his death might have caused you to lose focus on your game and that's why you let the final advantage go to Maleeva."

"I said that?" Dana murmured dimly, frowning at this.

"Yes," the date affirmed, nodding her head vigorously. "Then you spoke of how he died suddenly and that was why you felt it might have altered your game. You weren't sure of his cause of death. There was an implication of foul play."

After the date said this, her eyes fixed on Tonya who lifted an eyebrow. "While many would claim otherwise, I am not a cat killer," she stated calmly. "And his death occurred before our break up and thus I was not even in the proper mindset to warrant such an act of revenge. Besides," Tonya sniffed. "Killing a cat? That's so paltry."

"Your cat died?" asked Gino, wearing a genuinely sympathetic expression. "I'm sorry… I lost my dog a few months ago and I still miss him."

"What kind of dog was he?" Howie questioned, moving his arm to rest around the back of Gino's chair. "I always wanted to have a dog but my parents wouldn't ever let us get one. Said they're too messy."

"He was a Great Pyrenees, we had him since I was six," said Gino, smiling wistfully as he thought of his pet. "He was the best dog ever, you know? Was really great with people and he did all these tricks even though we never taught him. I used to enter him in those frisbee catching competitions."

"What was his name?" asked Howie curiously.

"Himalaya, like the mountains," said Gino, reddening slightly as he said this. "Because… you know, he was a big dog." 

Both Howie and Dana found the name adorable but the date didn't look nearly as enamored. Mostly because Gino had taken the tennis player's attention off her. Tonya on the other hand, was squinting at a familiar figure approaching them, darting her way through the crowd to near their table at The Planet that had been declared the spot for this disaster of promoting events. All while holding an ostentatiously large and just plain silly yet somehow romantic gift that was almost bigger than her entire person. 

"Dana," said Tonya smoothly, her voice laced with amusement and lightly nudging the athlete who was sitting next to her. "I think someone is here to see you."

Blinking in confusion, Dana turned away from Gino and Howie to look towards Tonya and immediately found herself staring at a huge paper mache bouquet of rainbow flowers. Taking the flowers out of sheer instinct, Dana attempted to rest them on the table and see if who she was hoping and praying for was the person responsible for them but they were so large they blocked her view, even while sitting there. And so, Dana hurriedly rose to her feet but upon looking in front of her, she saw no one there.

Her face started to fall but she felt the familiar touch of a gentle hand, she smelled the sweet scent of a comforting perfume, and she heard the voice she loved more than any other whisper in her ear, "I'm sorry that we fought, baby."

Releasing a quiet cry of disbelieving joy, Dana sank back into the body holding her close and shook her head fiercely, making her wavy brown hair fly about. "No, I'm sorry!" she enforced desperately. "This was all my fault. I shouldn't--"

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off by Alice's lips covering hers. Kissing her long and hard and deep with such evident ferocity of emotion that Dana sobbed at it and moaned into the other woman. Reaching for her with eager hands, pulling her close until there was no space between them at all. They remained like that for who knows how long and they didn't part due to the stares they were inciting, the annoyed noises from the date, or Howie's playful remarks. No, the only reason that they parted was for need of air and the realization they couldn't do what they wanted to in this public place.

At least not without getting arrested.

"I love you," Alice whispered and though their lips were no longer together their faces were just a breath apart. When she spoke it warmed the athlete's skin, making her shiver in delight at the sensation. "I love you so much, Dana."

"I love you too," Dana replied, her voice catching and a sob in her voice. She then quickly darted forward to capture Alice's lips for another kiss and when they separated, she breathed hoarsely, "Take me home. I want to make love to you. Please take me home, Al." 

Her brown eyes shining with love and desire and excitement and everything else that was wonderful and in between, Alice took Dana's hand in hers and led the way out of The Planet. Leaving behind one very upset date, one very amused Tonya, and one very pleased Howie.

\---

Though she knew it would be utterly ridiculous, Dana had to fight a strong urge to say 'lets never fight again' to Alice. The only thing that kept her from uttering this long standing make up cliche was that would mean taking a pause in their nonstop exchange of heated kisses. Something that Dana wasn't even wiling to consider at the moment.

She needed this, the kissing, the touching, the physical reassurance that it wasn't just her imagination. That Alice was still here with her, that Alice forgave her, that Alice loved her. Dana couldn't bear to lose that feeling right now. She thought doing so might come very close to breaking her heart.

By some strange miracle Alice had come to her with apologies and while Dana didn't understand it, she wasn't going to question it. She wanted more than anything else to make it up to Alice for hurting her as badly as she did but Dana had no idea how to go about doing so.

The usual forms of apology seemed so trite and woefully inadequate. Dana couldn't imagine how candy, flowers, or jewelry could be anywhere good enough to express how sorry she was. It was almost an insult to Alice to even attempt doing such things.

Dana had spent hours, the entire day in fact, agonizing on what she could do that would be able to properly show how badly she felt and came up with nothing. Even now she had no idea. All she knew was despite how lacking it seemed, Dana had to show Alice. Show her with her kiss, her touch, her body, her words, everything that she was just how much she loved Alice and how sorry she was. That was the only thing Dana could think to do and that's what she decided to concentrate on.

Kissing Alice long and hard and deep, kissing her so she could feel Dana's love for her, so much that she could drown in it. Enveloping her senses and swallowing her whole. Dana cried into the kisses, her fingers swift and eager, sliding underneath Alice's shirt and cupping her breasts in a reverent touch.

This wasn't anything like before, Dana realized. It was real, she could feel Alice's love and desire for her. It was real, this was real. Alice loved her, Alice had truly forgiven her, and Alice wanted her. She didn't dream it or wish it or imagine it. This was real.

Alice and her love was real.

Sobbing from the utter joy that came from this knowledge, Dana said in an ardent mutter, dazed from her emotions, "I love you, Al. I love you so much." 

"I love you too, baby," whispered Alice, tender and sincere, so very sincere that there was no possible way Dana could doubt the words. She smiled sweetly into their kiss and cupped Dana's face then drew her forward for the most intricate and slow and sensual display of affection the athlete had ever experienced. When they parted, she murmured against Dana's lips, low and husky, "I want to show you how much I love you. I want to do that."

Their clothes were gone in seconds, almost as fast as their inhibitions and they sank onto the bed together, Alice sliding her body against Dana's. Moving up to kiss her lingering and teasing before trailing down her body to rest at the junction of her thighs. Pushing them apart firm but tender as she had done so many times before then settling in.

Her tongue long and wet and lazy, taking time to taste and explore and moving in a torturing pace. Pressing inside only to leave and suck at the outer folds, licking the athlete's throbbing clit up then down and side to side, in so many ways and paces and actions that Dana thought she would lose her mind. It was too much, what Alice was doing too her, but at the same time it would never be enough. Nothing could be enough to ever manage to truly show how deeply they felt for each other. Of that she was certain. 

When the orgasm washed over her, Dana arched off the bed, toes curling into the sheets, hands tangled in Alice's messy blonde locks and she knew she was drowning. She had sunk down into the depths of their love and she couldn't escape it, not now and not ever, it had swallowed her whole and Dana couldn't have been happier for that. 

But not nearly as happy as she was when she pulled Alice up to her and kissed her fiercely. Pushing the writer onto the soft bed and taking her turn to kiss and lick and suck and explore every plane of the person she loved so much. Showing Alice with every action what she felt and leaving her lost and quivering from her touch as she did so.

Slipping her fingers deep inside, moving in a slow rhythm, torturing and teasing her with the pace to then speed up in rough thrusts only to slow down again. Taking Alice's cries of joy and begging pleas into her with her every attentive kiss and making them her own.

This went on for the rest of the night, neither of them taking much of a rest in their chosen task of displaying their love for the other and neither of them really wanting to in the first place.

And both of them making Howie wish he owned a pair of ear plugs.

\---

Sitting next to Rich on uncomfortable plastic chairs and staring at the closed door to the largest conference room at KCRW, Alice had a flashback to Elementary School. Countless times she sat just like this, waiting for Principal Henley to emerge from behind the door ready with stern word and detention slips or clean up duty as punishment. Shuddering in disgust upon recalling the stinky mop she had to use many a time on the gymnasium floors, Alice hoped her fate today wouldn't be anything remotely similar.

Though she had no idea why the bigwigs in charge of running the radio station would want her to mop anything. That didn't seem like most productive form of punishment. Firing her was more their alley and that's what Alice was really worried about. Especially considering all the things that had gone wrong in regards the nonstop KCRW promotions she did at Gay Pride.

"Do you think we're in trouble?" asked Rich ominously, peering around her to stare at the closed conference room doors. "Because I feel like we're in trouble. In fact, I feel like I'm going to get spanked pretty soon. And not the fun sort of spanking."

"I feel the same way," replied Alice and Rich started to form a somewhat perverted grin. Which is why she added drolly, "Minus the spanking part."

"Why must people always minus the spanking?" Rich pondered to no one in particular. "It makes the spanking depressed."

Chuckling at this, Alice started her joking come back but stopped on seeing the conference doors open at one of their coworkers emerge with a look of quiet resignation. They made no moves to talk to him as he was obviously lost in his own thoughts and because Mimi soon emerged from the room after him.

"Alice?" said Mimi with a smile. "Would you join us please?"

"Sure, you know me, I'm all for the joining," said Alice nervously, rising to her feet and unconsciously adjusting her button up shirt as she did so. She paused and looked back at a perplexed Rich who sat on the edge of his plastic chair ready to stand at any moment. Then looking to Mimi who wore an expectant expression, she asked, "What about Rich?"

"We'll be talking to Rich separately," Mimi assured, smiling still and pushing back the door for Alice. She nodded to the inside of the room and said again, "Join us please?"

"I'm joining," Alice laughed wearily, still busy with adjusting her clothing as she walked past Mimi. "I'm joining like I joined the Girl Scouts. Except they kicked me out for never being able to sell their cookies. They were brutal with that stuff."

Smile staying planted on her face, Mimi looked to the seven people gathered around the conference table who smiled right back at her. "Before we begin, Alice, I'd like to introduce you to everyone. Going left to right around the table we have Ruth Seymour, our GM and Program Director; Jennifer Ferro, our ASGM; Will Lewis, who is our Marketing Consultant; Jacqueline Des, Communications Affairs Consultant; Nic Harcourt, Music Director; Liz MacDonald, whom you already know, Director of Special Events; and Sarah Spitz, Publicity Director."

"Hi," said Alice, her voice suddenly going rather squeaky and higher in pitch, feeling very freaked out that she really was in a meeting with the KCRW bigwigs. She darted her gaze over to Mimi and said, "Not to be rude but can I ask what this is about? Did you bring me here to experience a not so gentle firing?"

"No, Alice," Mimi laughed and was joined by everyone at the table. Pressing a hand to the blonde's back, she said, "Take a seat and we'll explain everything."

"That would be good," said Alice dimly, sitting down and looking to Mimi who sat in the place next to her. "Explaining would help my head to stop hurting."

More laughter and Mimi looked to Ruth as if to say 'see what I mean' a look which was returned in full. Turning her attention back to the writer, she said, "You might have noticed we had you and quite a few of our new hires working promotions at Gay Pride. The reason we did that was to perform a test of sorts, to see how each of you are developing with your work on air and how you interact directly with our audience."

"Oh god," Alice groaned, thinking of all the things that went wrong during Gay Pride. She looked anxiously at Mimi and said, "I know our equipment kept freaking out and I went off script or whatever but I had to do something, right? I mean, dead air is death on radio. And it totally wasn't Rich's fault. Just moving all the stuff around constantly and technology being--"

"Alice," Mimi laughed affectionately, "that's not what we want to talk to you about."

"The Lesbians In Media panel then?" Alice jumped onto the next big no no she thought she had made. "I'm not intellectual and I'm not saying it's your fault for putting me there but my tiny brain got bored and my girlfriend was pissed at me and I wanted to get her to laugh and the next thing I know, tie in the mouth--"

Even more laughter and Mimi shook her head fondly. "That isn't it either, Alice," she said.

"The concert," Alice decided and releasing a groan as she remembered it. "I shouldn't have done that request. Again, too much with the personal information, but the woman who did the request was my ex and she was just trying to cheer me up but it was live on air and I didn't know if I would be good to just say no. It seemed crappy to say no and the crowd--"

"I'm afraid none of those things are what we want to talk to you about, Alice," said Mimi, laughing warmly and enjoying the look of amusement on her colleagues faces. She knew that bringing Alice to their attention all those months ago was a good idea. "And in a way they are."

"Okay," said Alice in the dimmest tones imaginable, feeling completely and utterly confused as to why she was sitting there. Looking around the table at all the smiling faces who were looking at her like she was their long lost daughter Mary Sue, she asked hesitantly, "What's going on?"

Fifteen minutes later, Alice emerged from the conference room alone and was greeted by an anxious Rich who jumped to his feet while he fired a myriad of worried questions at her. She stared at him blankly for a minute, a huge smile frozen on her features, then wrapped him up in a sudden hug and declared, "We've got our own late night radio show!"

The hug was returned in full force by Rich, along with the excitement over the new radio show. Even if he didn't know the details as of yet. Because, really, it was damn near impossible not to get excited when Alice was like this.

And Rich wasn't one for trying to fight the impossible.

\---

"I told you, How, we'll be there at two o'clock," said Dana, rolling her eyes. She fumbled with her keys to unlock the front door to her condo, only to groan on realizing it was already open because, duh, she had parked next to Alice's car in the lot. Kicking the door lightly shut with the back of her foot, Dana hung her keys on the rack and grinned on seeing Alice's hanging from their intended peg. "Yes, I'm listening to you," Dana remarked irritably, wondering how in the hell he could tell when her mind was wandering thanks to Alice.

The grin came back in full force when Dana's eyes caught sight of the huge paper mache bouquet of rainbow flowers that sat on display in a vase on the small table in her hallway where her downstairs phone sat. They were all such tiny things but Dana honestly couldn't be happier when she noticed things like that. Just the innocuous and telling signs in her condo that said, to her anyway, Alice was here.

Whether it be her car in the parking lot, her keys hanging on their peg, her paper mache flowers in a vase, or her cds and books spread randomly throughout the house. All of them created the same effect of announcing Alice's presence as an important every day occurrence in Dana's life and she loved that. She loved seeing the hints of her girlfriend take hold of her living space and in the process, making it her space as well.

Dana loved it enough that she wondered if maybe she should consider asking Alice to move in with her. But that was something she had been considering for some time now. Since the Olivia Cruise, to be precise. Though she couldn't help being scared it might be too soon to ask such a thing. She had moved so very fast in her relationship with Tonya and though her romance with Alice was completely different, Dana feared making the same mistakes. Mulling over this, Dana realized on hearing Howie complain in her ear now was not the time to think on such things.

Not while her little brother was having a coming out crisis.

"How, calm down," she soothed and tried to hold back a chuckle which she knew would only get her bitched at some more. "Al and I will be there at two o'clock, we'll eat lunch with Mom and Dad, and once they're nicely stuffed and sedated we'll tell them of your fabulous gay boy status, okay?" Laughing at Howie's response that was preening about his own fabulous nature, Dana replied dryly, "Yes. I am admitting you are fabulous. How couldn't I with all the wardrobe work you did for me during Pride? That's a sheer sign of fabulousness if I ever saw one."

Laughing again at Howie's reply, Dana headed upstairs and to her bedroom, tossing her gym bag on the bed as she said, "I don't know. You might want to wait until Mom wakes up from the self induced coma before bringing Gino home." 

Continuing her conversation with Howie, Dana entered her bathroom, faced the mirror and pulled out her ponytail holder to let her hair fall against her shoulders, laughing at whatever smart ass comment her brother made. Her mouth open and ready to respond only to have all words escape her as she looked at what was in her large and very spacious bath tub.

There lay Alice, a languid smile playing on her lips, beer bottle in hand, and her body frustratingly hidden from view by a huge pile of bubbles. Her smile turned mischievous and she scooped up a handful and playfully blew them at Dana.

"Join me?" drawled Alice in a delicious invite.

"I'll talk to you later, How," Dana said, abruptly ending the call and turning off her phone for good measure. Her eyes fixed forward, unable to think of looking somewhere other than at Alice, she put her phone down on the sink. "Beer and a bubble bath? What's the occasion?"

"There has to be an occasion?" teased Alice, taking a slow drink of her beer and grinning around it. "I personally think beer and bubble baths go hand in hand."

"Right," said Dana sardonically, lowering the toilet lid and sitting down. Peering up while she untied her shoes quickly and efficiently, the athlete smiled and said, "I know you, Al. Something good happened to bring on the beer and bubbles and I want to know what."

Unable to hold in her excitement, Alice sank her beer into the bucket by the tub filled with ice and other bottles of alcohol. Facing Dana and watching the tennis player remove her shirt and bra while she spoke. "You know how I was doing all those KCRW promotions during Gay Pride? Well, they were using them as auditions or a test or something. Long story short?" Alice beamed at Dana who met their eyes as she paused in shimmying out of her jogging shorts. "You're looking at the new KCRW late night DJ!" 

"Al! That's great!" Trying to kick her shorts completely off, Dana hopped over to Alice, stumbling in the process. She stopped at the edge of the tub and the blonde slid upwards out of the water to lightly hold Dana's hips steady, helping her regain her balance. 

"Don't hurt yourself," Alice laughed, pushing aside locks of brown hair that had fallen into the tennis player's eyes thanks to her near falling incident. She tenderly cupped Dana's cheek then moved up for a kiss as she said, "I have plans for us that require you to be in perfect health."

Smiling into that first slow and careful kiss, Dana said in husky tones, "What kind of plans?" 

"The kind that need you to get your panties off already," purred Alice, pushing upwards and kissing Dana with detailed attention. Sucking her tongue long and hard, nipping on her bottom lip before changing the tilt of her head and starting again. Pulling the athlete forward and into her as she did so. When they separated, she wore an unbelievably seductive expression as she reached out to grasp Dana's plain white bikini briefs and tugged them down. Feeling the tremble in the tanned body in front of her at this gesture, Alice's voice dropped into a low octave and she smiled slow and sensual at Dana then said, "Lets celebrate."

Grinning happily, Dana kicked her panties back like she had done with her shorts and quickly lowered herself into the tub, straddling Alice's lap. Not caring in the slightest that the water overflowed onto the floor when she did this. The only thing Dana cared about was that she was naked in a bath tub filled with tropical scented bubble bath, a bucket filled with cold beer was in arms reach, and Alice was pulling their bodies closer. 

No longer straddling Alice's lap, Dana now had the entire length of her body pressed into the blonde, fitting together perfectly so every inch of them was covered in the other. The sensation was something the tennis player reveled in, sighing softly and nuzzling Alice's neck as their arms wrapped around one another. "You smell pretty," said Dana in a muffled compliment, burrowing into Alice's embrace and smiling at the chuckle the writer released. 

"I think that's the bubble bath," said Alice wryly, adjusting her hold on Dana and pulling her forward and with her as she leaned back further into the tub.

"No," protested Dana, shaking her head but somehow managing to remain buried in Alice's arms. "It's you." She felt the blonde smile when a soft kiss pressed onto the side of her head and Dana decided that even though she was feeling horribly shy she should continue on with her explanation. "I've always thought that you smelled pretty," the brunette confessed. "Since the first day that I met you, I've thought that."

"Is that so?" murmured Alice playfully, kissing Dana again and running her hands over her body in a soothing movement. "But can I ask you what exactly pretty smells like? Is it vanilla?"

"Not vanilla," Dana mumbled rather grumpily at this idea. Apparently she didn't like that smell very much. "It's kind of like wildflowers and how the grass smells after a light rain."

"Ahhh, so that's it," said Alice wisely, moving her head down to kiss the nape of Dana's neck. Murmuring in her ear, "You want to know something?" When she felt the athlete nod yes, Alice smiled and said, "You feel nice. No, better than nice. You feel perfect in my arms, Dana. Like this is where you fit."

"Because it is," replied Dana simply. Moving away from Alice, she grinned at her and kissed her sweetly. "We're pieces of a puzzle, that's all. But we found each other and now we fit."

"Romantic," Alice accused, soft and affectionate, tangling her fingers in wavy brown hair and meeting their lips for another kiss.

The kiss was lazy and deliberate, taking time to taste and explore and feel, lost in the sensation of their lips, mouths open and eager, sinking further into each other with every second that passed and every new kiss exchanged. Kissing forever, kissing as if they needed this, as if stopping would be to stop their hearts and doing so would kill them.

Dana sucking on Alice's tongue luxuriously, her hand traveling the bubbles covered length of the blonde's body to lightly caress her clit in a circular stroke. The writer moaned into the kisses in approval and kissed Dana harder and deeper as she decided to return the favor, playing outside Dana's pussy before her fingers slipping inside. 

"You feel so good, Dana," murmured Alice, her voice rough with desire though a smile was evident in it. Her fingers moving in slow and teasing strokes. In then out, slight thrusts while her thumb lightly toyed with the athlete's clit, smiling when Dana shuddered and looked up at her with blue eyes turned black from desire. "You feel perfect."

"We're puzzle pieces, Al," Dana replied hoarsely, resting their foreheads together and sliding upwards to thrust Alice's fingers further inside her. Capturing Alice's lips for a kiss lingering and sensuous, pulling on the blonde's lower lip and sucking on her tongue long and hard. "I told you that. We're meant to fit together." 

"Right," chuckled Alice, kissing Dana again and her fingers resuming their toying pattern. Thrusting in then out, pulling out to caress the athlete's clit, moaning into the kiss when Dana returned the favor, mimicking her actions exactly. When their lips parted with a gasp, she groaned, "Dana… it's too much."

"But not enough," said Dana knowingly, laughing and nuzzling Alice's neck, rocking with the blonde and increasing the speed and strength of her thrusts. Returning the groan Alice released when she did the same thing. Her breathing shallow, she moved to look into dark brown eyes and seeing her expression of pure need, love, and desire reflected, Dana found herself struck by it. Frozen by their connection only to laughingly break out of this, moving forward to kiss Alice and murmur into her, "I love you."

No response came from Alice, instead she kissed Dana with intentional slow and tortured teasing. Sucking on her tongue and lips, adjusting the tilt of her head, trying to absorb all the athlete had to offer while keeping up the pace of her thrusts and circular brushes against Dana's clit. They kept kissing, not stopping even when they came, moaning into one another's mouths and shivering softly in release.

This wasn't like the other times they made love. It wasn't hard and rough and intense in their desire and love. It wasn't frantic and eager and desperate in their need to prove their feelings. It was languid and lazy and confident. Completely confident in the love that they felt and the strength of their bond.

When their seemingly endless kiss finally found itself over, their bodies sank together, once again having every inch covered in each other. Dana nuzzled in the crook of Alice's neck and sighed in satisfaction when their arms wrapped around one another. 

Then Alice pressed a kiss onto the top of Dana's head and peered down to meet their eyes as the tennis player looked up at her. "Want a beer?" offered Alice with a grin. Instead of replying, Dana laughed and buried herself in Alice's neck who shrugged and reached for a beer, easily popping off the cap and taking a long drink. "Suit yourself," she drawled humorously. "If you ask me, beer does a body good."

The nonstop laughter Dana was involved in didn't really help to say if she agreed with Alice about this particular opinion or not. But when she asked for a beer upon finally calming down that did bode well for hinting that perhaps she did feel the same.

Though it remained thoroughly up for debate.

\---

"I shouldn't do this," Alice muttered, ignoring her own advice and knocking on the door in front of her. She heard the noise of someone moving behind it and amended, "I really shouldn't."

Adding yet another really to the sentence, Alice was ready to turn and walk away when the door opened to reveal the person responsible for her sudden change in heart and the larger and larger sentiment of 'really shouldn't' taking over her brain. Dressed in her usual attire of a button up white shirt and plain black pants, Gabby leaned against her doorframe and lifted an eyebrow in amusement upon seeing Alice.

"Well, well," Gabby said in a sardonic drawl. "Look who's here to darken my doorstop." Standing to one side, she made a gesture of offering to the open doorway and said, "Come in and tell me what evils I've committed this time around. I am responsible for the budget crisis or the rocketing prices of domestic oil? I much rather cause the latter, just so you know."

"I knew I shouldn't have come," Alice muttered in angry resignation. She walked only slightly into the other woman's living room and folded her arms over her chest. "Look, I don't want to blame you for anything, Gabby. I don't want anything from you at all, in fact. I just thought I owed you a thank you for what you told me at Pride, that's all."

"Did you and your tennis player have another bout of scorching make up sex?" asked Gabby humorously. When Alice stared at her blankly in response, not giving any sort of reaction, the dark haired woman pouted. "You're no fun," she sighed, flopping down on her nearby sofa. "How did Ms. Brute Strength take the news of our little kiss?" Watching pale skin turn first pinkish then red which had always been a telling sign of agitation and guilt, Gabby chuckled and leaned back into her fluffy cushions. "You didn't tell her, did you?"

"There's no reason to tell her," said Alice who was irritable and quick to defend herself. "It didn't mean anything, it was just a kiss."

"Then why not tell her?" asked Gabby in droll tones, making a rare and valid point. 

"Because it would only upset her," Alice managed to say through clenched teeth. "Look, I'm only here to thank you for what you said to me at Pride. I think I've done that so now I'm just going to go, all right?" 

Feeling thoroughly exasperated and wondering why she had set herself up for this, Alice headed towards the front door only to stop when she heard Gabby say, "Tell her. You should know because of me how much secrets like that can hurt someone." 

Her back remained to Gabby and her hand reached out to rest on the wall in front of her, using it to maintain her balance and Alice's head fell at the other woman's words. "Why are you doing this?" she asked in a bare whisper. "Why are you acting like you care about me and my happiness? You never did anything like this before."

"I never cared before," said Gabby bluntly. Unable to help wincing when she saw Alice's shoulders tremble this, she sighed deeply and muttered agitatedly, "I'm an asshole, okay? An asshole and a bitch and I'm selfish, I know that. But I'm trying to turn that around and this is my way of doing that. So just let me do it already."

"Just let you what? Give me romantic advice?" asked Alice, her voice filled with weary but incredulous laughter. "When did that get added into the super trendy twelve step recovery program for dykes who are asshole bitches?" 

"No," Gabby chuckled and took a slow step forward to lightly rest her hand at the small of Alice's back. "Just let me try to be your friend for once. Because I know I sure as hell was never one when we were dating or anytime after. Besides," she said in self deprecating tones. "You could teach me how to be a good one, you know? It's public knowledge mine sort of suck."

"Sort of?" asked Alice dryly.

Laughing and letting her hand fall from Alice's back, Gabby shrugged and said easily, "All right. They suck. Simple as that." She tilted her head around to peer at the side of the blonde's face, grinning mischievously. "What do you say Alice? Want to be friends?" Entwining her fingers and holding her hands under her chin as if she was praying, Gabby formed a beseeching expression. "Pleaaaaase can we be friends?" 

"Thanks for the help and good advice, friend," Alice said in a casual remark as she opened the door and walked out.

A slow and satisfied smile forming on Gabby's features was her only response. And perhaps that was the only one that was really needed.

\---

"And that's what happened," Alice said breathlessly, gripping the steering wheel to Dana's Outback tightly, keeping her eyes planted on the road. She had just finished a speed talking explanation of everything that had gone on between her and Gabby. From the kiss all the way to Gabby's advice and request for friendship. Darting her gaze towards the tennis player who was staring ahead and wearing a stone faced expression, Alice said anxiously, "Dana?"

"Gabby Deveaux wants to be your friend," said Dana solemnly, saying it as if it was a death sentence. Alice wasn't sure if it was good or bad that this was what the athlete decided to fixate on instead of the brief kiss they shared. She looked at Alice, meeting their eyes briefly before the writer turned her attention back to the road. "You know she's plotting something, don't you, Al? I mean, Gabby isn't nice for no reason. She always had a reason and reasons lead to plots and she's plotting something." Dana nodded her head wisely and muttered, "Something."

Laughing incredulously at this, Alice replied, "Dana! Gabby doesn't care enough about me to plot anything. Do you realize that if you add up the time I spent with her, just us together alone, throughout the entire span of all the relationships we've had adds up to maybe the amount of time you and I spent together, as only friends, for maybe three months?" Shaking her head and feeling incredibly relieved that Dana didn't appear to be hurt by her actions or even really angry at her, Alice reached out to affectionately ruffle wavy brown locks. "You're such a goof," she said playfully. "Gabby never cared about me that way and I doubt she ever will."

"Why does she want to be friends then?" asked Dana peevishly, folding her arms over her chest and refusing to fix her hair even though she knew Alice had messed it up.

"To play mind games with you?" said Alice with a shrug, honestly lost for a proper answer. When Dana glared at her with a return to her stone faced expression, she sighed and said, "I have no idea, Dane." She made a right turn into the long road leading to the Fairbanks house which Alice still thought should be called an estate. Reaching out to fix the athlete's hair, Alice murmured, "Lets not fight or worry, okay? We're here to help Howie make his grand debut as a gay boy, remember? We should focus on that."

Dana nodded her head and silently stared ahead at her house which was getting larger by the second as they approached it in the car. Then she offered in a quiet murmur, "I don't trust her, Al. I don't trust Gabby Deveaux and I don't like her. I never will." She nibbled on her bottom lip then released a loud whoosh of breath and looked to the blonde and smiled softly. "But I trust you and I love you and that's all that really matters."

"You took the words right out of my mouth, baby," said Alice, returning the smile and reaching for Dana's hand to kiss it tenderly. Facing forward again, she raised an eyebrow on seeing the front doors to the house open and Howie run down the steps. "Why is your brother in a suit?"

"He's probably hoping it will calm down Mom and Dad," said Dana in droll observation. "Although I'm sure they're just as confused as you about him wearing it. Howie hates suits."

"At least he's not wearing a tie," Alice chuckled, putting the car into park and watching Howie run over to them. "I think the kid is feeling a bit stressed out, Dane. It's a good thing we agreed to help him out with this, huh?"

"I'm a good big sister," said Dana rather proudly. She sported a huge grin and flung her door open as she declared, "How! What in the hell are you wearing? It's not Easter or Christmas!"

"Don't you dare insult Armani," Howie said in breathless reply, managing to somehow still sound snippy while bending over and trying to catch his breath. Peering up at his sister, he said, "And it's not a suit. This is called casual men's attire." He took another before he then added all importantly, "By Armani."

"Why are you wearing casual men's attire by Armani then?" asked Dana. Taking in the completely off white outfit that consisted of baggy pants, jacket, and a button up shirt with the collar undone, she had to admit her brother did look nice. But it was totally out of place considering his usual attire was cargo pants shorts, a tank top, puka shell necklace, and sandals. "Mom and Dad are confused, aren't they? You tipped them off with the clothes."

"How can I tip anyone off? This isn't a drug deal," said Howie, making a noise of disdain and adjusting his jacket. "And don't player hate. My outfit is stupendous plus I figured seeing me in a suit might help Dad realize I'm not changing my mind about Stanford."

"That's good, tell him that," advised Dana, slinging an arm around Howie's shoulder and walking with him to the house. "What about Business? You still want to major in that?"

"No, actually," said Howie who had a wince in his voice. "I'm starting to think Economics is more up my alley."

"Oh! Dad will SO like that more," exclaimed Dana excitedly.

"You think?" Howie asked skeptically. "He was all happy when I told him I was joining that young Entrepreneurs club at school."

"But Dad loves to analyze the stock market and the economy," remarked Dana, smiling again. "Plus he loves to complain about the new Republicans and the absence of fiscal spending, he would totally think you majoring in Economics would be a sign of listening to him about that."

"Yeah," said Howie, sounding more upbeat and pleased by the second. "Maybe later I could even tell him about this article I read, right? It was really cool, Dane. It said that gay men have more expendable income than any other market and their customer base is being ignored. I mean, it's crazy! This is like hundreds of thousands of dollars, towards the millions almost, and the money is just disregarded. I think we should…"

His words trailed off when the siblings got too far ahead for Alice to properly hear what they were saying but she could see from his body language and the smile on his face, Howie was already feeling better about the situation just from having Dana there. Even if she was currently pinching his nose and messing up what had been his immaculate head of hair.

\---

Irwin and Sharon stared at Howie blankly, well, stared at Howie, Dana, and Alice blankly was more like it since they were sitting in a row, and that was it. That was their only response for a long while then Irwin blinked and said in perplexed tones, "But you're so popular…"

"Gay guys can be popular too, Dad," said Howie, a laugh in his voice and starting to feel like maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. That's when he looked to his mother and on seeing her face retain that blank expression, he said hesitantly, "Mom?"

The blank look refusing to leave her face, Sharon rose to her feet and turned and walked out of the room. Not appearing to take any notice of the cries from Howie and Dana as she did so. Howie's face fell and he started to head after her when he felt a strong hand clasp his shoulder and turned to look at his father.

"Let her go, son," said Irwin, sounding both somehow resigned and wise at the same time. He watched Howie duck his head and try to control his trembling lower lip, a sure sign that the boy wanted to cry but was stopping himself. Rocking him to and fro and squeezing his shoulder gently, Irwin asked in what he wanted to be casual tones but failed due to how uncomfortable he sounded, "Is this why you wore a suit today? Your mother and I couldn't figure it out. We thought maybe you destroyed another vase but this makes more sense."

"Yeah," said Howie, laughing slightly and rubbing roughly at his eyes with the back of his hand. He peered up at his father and offered a weak attempt at a smile. "Stupid, huh, Dad?"

"Not at all," Irwin replied, returning the smile and seeming to contemplate something before going onto say, "I think you look handsome in it." He flicked the back of Howie's head with his index finger and chuckled. "Better than those shorts you're always running around in."

"I like them," Howie whined, rubbing the back of his head and managing to somehow glare fondly at his father. His gaze fell over to Dana who was still staring in the direction that Sharon had exited with a somber look on her features and said softly, "Dane?" When she looked his way, he smiled at her and said with light humor, "We called it, didn't we?"

Returning the smile faintly on recalling the conversation where they had predicted Sharon's reaction would be somewhat the same to his coming out, Dana replied sadly, "Yeah. We did."

"What?" asked Irwin, sounding utterly perplexed again. Only to blink and then look perplexed when both of his children faced him and said together in what were almost giggles but not quite, "Nothing, Dad." Frowning at this, Irwin scratched the back of his head and shrugged his shoulders. When they finally quieted down, he looked at Howie rather worriedly and said, "You are still going to Stanford, aren't you, son?"

This time the siblings burst into full out laughter, forcing them to explain to Irwin what they found so funny. And it was in the midst of all of this that Alice took the chance to slip unnoticed from their presence. 

\---

The house wasn't an estate, Alice realized upon walking into the upstairs library and hearing clearly the laughter from downstairs. There was no way an estate would allow you to hear other people laughing as clearly as they could when you were on an entirely different floor. And there was no way an estate would have squeaky floorboards that announced you were there before you had the opportunity to.

Not looking from the family portrait in front of her that she held in her hands, Sharon said, "Hello Alice. Are you here to give me more advice about my children and family? Perhaps to say that they're getting along quite nicely without me right now?"

"How did you know it was me?" asked Alice curiously, deciding to ignore the insulting tone Sharon had and to just go with her instincts. Besides, she truly did want to know how she knew. There weren't any mirrors in the room or anything.

Instead of replying, Sharon tilted the framed family portrait so the blonde could see her reflection appearing in it. Then she put the portrait at rest and focused on it once more. Moving closer to the older woman, Alice saw that everyone featured was far younger. Sharon and Irwin most likely in their early forties with Dana at perhaps fifteen and Howie at five. They were at Disney World, standing in front of Epcot Center, or the giant golf ball as Alice liked to call it, wearing haphazard Mickey Mouse ears on their heads and their arms around each other. It was the standard example of a perfect and happy suburban family which was why Sharon was probably looking at it. At least, that's what Alice thought. 

"This is my fault, you realize," murmured Sharon in defeated tones, continuing to stare at the portrait. "I never wanted this for my children… not after what I went through but I brought this upon them by simply being who I am." Alice's eyes went wide at these words and a hint of a smile appeared on Sharon's features, signaling that she saw this reaction. "I love Irwin," she said strongly. After saying this, her eyes flicked back to the portrait and smiling softly, she touched his sunburned features in the picture. "I wouldn't have married him if I didn't love him. I love my husband and I love what we do…" She paused before she continued on uncomfortably, reminding Alice of Irwin on doing so, "I love being intimate with him. But when I was young, I had impulses that I acted on. They weren't appropriate and they certainly weren't wise. I was told as much in a very harsh and realistic manner." Sharon sighed and put the portrait back at rest before turning to face Alice. She folded her arms across her chest in a protective gesture that reminded the blonde of both Dana and Howie. "I never wanted this for my children."

"I never wanted David Lee out of Van Halen but sometimes shit happens," said Alice sardonically, lifting an eyebrow at the older woman who laughed at her words.

"I'm not even sure who exactly that is and what you're speaking of but I think I get the gist of the message," said Sharon wryly. She sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling then said in matter of fact tones, "You do realize if you repeat one word of this conversation with anyone I will call you a bald faced liar?"

"Oh, I realize," Alice laughed. "And I won't tell anyone even though I have been called a lot worse than bald faced in my time."

"Is that so?" asked Sharon curiously, focusing on the writer.

"My mother once compared me to Ernest Borgnine," said Alice with droll humor.

"She didn't," Sharon gasped, looking horrified.

"She did," said Alice, nodding her head in affirmation and smiling big at Sharon's reaction.

"That is despicable!" exclaimed Sharon who was now waving her hands about in a gesture that Alice was sure she had seen Howie do over Gay Pride weekend. "You look nothing like Ernest Borgnine nor could you ever look like him. What kind of mother would even say such a thing to their child?" She looked to Alice who started to reply but stopped upon seeing Sharon's face fall very soon after saying this.

"Hey," Alice murmured with concern, taking a step closer to Sharon whose face was getting more upset by the second. "What's up?"

"I've done worse," said Sharon, sounding thoroughly disgusted with herself. "I've done far worse to them, haven't I?" she asked, looking at Alice anxiously. "By walking away just now I've hurt Howie the same way I hurt Dana. I'm worse than your mother, aren't I?"

"Hey, no, you aren't, no way," said Alice who paused a moment then gently touched Sharon's shoulders in a comforting gesture. "My mother, I mean, I love her, right? But my mother, I don't think she even cares when she hurts my feelings. I think maybe sometimes she even knows that she's doing it and she does it anyway. The fact that you care? That makes you so much better than her… and besides," Alice ducked down, struck by how much Sharon's blue eyes looked like Dana's upon meeting them, and smiled encouragingly. "You're totally going down there and apologizing, right? You're going to tell Howie you love him and it's cool he's popular gay man on campus and all of that, aren't you?"

"In a sense, yes," said Sharon, managing to laugh through her slight bout of tears and carefully wiping at them as to not ruin her mascara. "I do plan on saying those things to him and Dana."

"Then you're totally better," said Alice, beaming proudly at the older woman. "I promise."

Finished fixing her mascara, Sharon began to head downstairs only to pause and look curiously back at Alice then say, "Why are you doing all of this? Speaking to me not once but twice about my relationship with my children? Listening to me and helping me like this?"

"What do I get from it, you mean?" asked Alice knowingly, lifting an eyebrow in amusement. Her brown eyes twinkled and she leaned forward and said in conspiratorial tones, "I don't know if you're aware but it has been said that once you get in good with the mother-in-law then it's guaranteed smooth sailing in the relationship for years."

A fond smile playing on her features, Sharon questioned soft but solemn, "You plan on being here for years then? In a relationship with my daughter, that is?"

Blinking at the suddenly serious tone of their conversation, Alice nevertheless found herself matching the mood because of the depth of her feelings for Dana and her belief in their love. Nodding her head, she murmured, "For the rest of my life."

"Good," said Sharon, her smile turning a bit mischievous as she turned to go downstairs. "That means I'll have a chance to meet this mother of yours and question her on her parenting skills. Comparing you to Ernest Borgnine," Sharon uttered this in snippy tones that Howie had clearly inherited. "The very idea!"

Leaving behind a stunned but happy Alice in her wake.

\---

For as long as Dana could remember she had loved five things, though some she had loved longer than others. In chronological order, it went like this:

1\. Her family  
2\. Making her family proud  
3\. Playing tennis  
4\. Playing tennis that made her family proud  
5\. Alice

And while Alice was what she loved for the shortest amount of time, at six years and counting, she was what Dana loved the most. If one was to be technical they could even say the blonde showed up four times on her list as she considered Alice a part of her family. A thought initiated and encouraged by Alice herself. Which is probably why Dana was so anxious that Alice wouldn't be able to attend most of the tournament she was currently leaving for. 

She tried her very best to hide this from Alice because the last thing she wanted was Alice feeling guilty about only attending the last two days of the tournament. After all, it wasn't like she could help that the week her new radio show debuted was also the week of Dana's tournament. Dana was so proud of Alice, just as proud as she hoped to make Alice and her family with her performance at the tournament. Unfortunately, that pride didn't remove the anxiety Dana felt because of the blonde's absence. Something magnified by the fact that only Sharon would be at the tennis tournament from start to finish as Howie was away at training camp for his school soccer team and Irwin was stuck in New York on business. 

Normally only having one family member attend a tournament wouldn't bother Dana but these weren't normal circumstances. She was ranked the highest she had ever been in her career and if she did well in this tournament it placed her in a very good position for play at the US Open. Dana had played at the Open before, of course, but she never played there starting at a high ranking position like she would have if she did well at this tournament. In other words, winning would signify that Dana was a real contender for grasping the final victory at the Open. For the first time in months people would write about her as a tennis player who is a lesbian instead of a lesbian who is a tennis player. Something that Dana had been longing for since the first day she first came out. 

Dana was a natural competitor, there was little she loved more than proving herself to others about her skills in her chosen profession. She thrived on pressure and the nervous energy she became filled with before every match that she played. But the nerves she was experiencing now weren't the same. These nerves wouldn't sharpen her senses and increase her focus. They would confuse and distract, ruining her chances for rank advancement.

This wasn't the first time Dana experienced a case of nerves like this. It had happened a few times before and each time it was the presence of her family and Alice that made them disappear. But this time she wouldn't have that. There would be only Sharon and as much as Dana loved her mother, especially for the heartfelt strides she was making to repair their fractured relationship, she needed more.

She needed Alice.

Only this time she couldn't have her. At least, not until Saturday and Sunday. Logically she knew Alice would still be with her. That the writer would watch her matches, call several times a day, and that she herself would disobey Mike and Tonya's strict orders and listen to Alice's show every night despite the late hour at which it aired.

But it wasn't the same as having Alice physically with her. Being able to look into the stands and seeing her dressed in her cute version of athletic gear, smiling big and waving at Dana during the match breaks. Having her in the hotel room and being soothed by her comforting touch and reassuring words that took away whatever doubts she had with utmost ease. 

All of that made the goodbye ceremony she had with Alice before each tournament longer than usual. Because this time it wasn't purely for show, the blonde wouldn't be appearing only a few hours after her but instead a few days.

To speed up her arrival, Alice was taking a 1:25 a.m. flight to Oakland right after her show on Friday ended even though the drive there was a relatively short five hours. Simply because she wanted to be with Dana as soon as possible. Despite the tennis player's attempts to hide it, she knew quite well how nervous Dana was and she wanted to be there for her. 

"You don't have to pick me up at the airport," said Alice with an affectionate laugh. They were making the final trip down to Dana's Subaru with her luggage and talking about Alice's flight on the way. "I can get a taxi or we can ask Tonya or Mike."

"I want to pick you up," Dana insisted, shifting her gym bag over her shoulder and wearing what some would describe as a stubborn pout. "You're flying out there for me but you won't even let me pay for your ticket. The least I can do is pick you up at the airport."

"Hey Missy," drawled Alice, poking Dana in the side and walking ahead of her. "Are you forgetting about my promotion? I'm getting the big time public radio bucks. Buying airplane tickets to Oakland is just the start of showing off how much bling I now possess."

"Al," said Dana in fond exasperation, unable to help feeling just a little amused at the blonde's words. "How can a plane ticket be called bling?" 

Musing over this, Alice tilted her head and grinned before saying, "If it's covered in a tacky and unnecessarily large amount of diamonds?"

"Funny, Al," said Dana drolly as she rolled her eyes and very carefully and very slowly put the last of her luggage into her car, wanting to draw out her departure for as long as possible.

Almost two minutes passed with Dana fiddling and needlessly rearranging her luggage in the trunk when she felt warm arms encircle her waist and the light pressure of Alice's chin resting on her shoulder. She shivered at the welcome sensation of the blonde's breath against her skin when Alice murmured in gentle teasing, "You're taking an awful long time with that. I didn't know that packing was such an art."

Sinking into Alice's arms and feeling her face heat up from embarrassment, Dana didn't reply and she heard the sound of a soft sigh before she felt the press of tender lips against the nape of her neck. "I don't want you to go either, baby," said Alice in a hushed revelation. "I know it's stupid. You're only going to be five hours away and I'll be seeing you in four days anyway but I still don't want you to go." She chuckled and said rather wryly, "I guess I am clingy." 

Frowning at this, Dana shifted to face Alice and cupped her face in both hands, smiling when the blonde closed her eyes at the touch. "You're not clingy," she assured, stroking pale skin in an unconscious movement with her thumb. "I don't want to go either. In fact," Dana said in a faux secretive confession, moving forward to whisper in Alice's ear. "If it was any other tournament I would fake having the flu."

"Right," said Alice in skeptical humor. She pulled back and lifted an eyebrow staidly. "What if it was the French Open?"

"Flu," said Dana with a grin. 

"Australian Open?" said Alice, pushing onward.

"Flu," said Dana with a grin.

"US Open?" said Alice knowingly, already aware it was the reason that ranking well in this upcoming tournament was so very important to the brunette.

Pausing to consider it for a moment, Dana then said with a grin, "Flu."

"Wimbledon?" said Alice, gravely pronouncing the tournament of all tennis tournaments.

"Flu," said Dana, imitating Alice's grave tones and moving closer to capture her lips for a slow and detailed kiss. Halfway singing and smiling happily into it, "You give me fever."

Returning the smile and chuckling when they parted, Alice nuzzled Dana's nose with her own and asked solemnly, "Did it start long ago?"

"In the morning and all through the night," replied Dana just as solemnly, nodding her head. 

"But is it a lovely way to burn?" Alice drawled, moving their lips closer.

"That's something you all know," said Dana who ended their song lyric quoting by closing the distance and kissing the blonde deeply. Kissing her deep and hard and complete, sinking further into one another with every second that passed. When they parted, she said in rough and desperate tones, "Forget what I just said. I have the flu now too."

Laughing quietly, Alice started to reply but she paused and frantically began patting the back pockets of her jeans that made it look like she was strangely trying to grope herself. Not that Dana would blame her for that impulse since it was one she felt pretty much every second of every day. "Al?" asked Dana, frowning in concern. "What's up?"

"I almost forgot it!" Alice cried in something of a panic, turning on her heel and running up the massive stairs that led to Dana's condo. Leaving an extremely perplexed athlete behind. 

Shrugging her shoulders, Dana closed the trunk to her Subaru to wander after Alice who walked out of the condo just as she reached the top of the stairs. "What's up?" asked Dana again, hoping that she might get an answer this time. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Alice who was slightly red and looked entirely sheepish. She coughed and averted her eyes from Dana to stare at a nearby tree. "You know how this is going to be the first local tournament that I can't attend from start to finish?"

"Yeah," said Dana slowly, her frown remaining.

"I know how you get nervous before matches and not good nervous either, like you explained once, and usually I'm there to help you feel better," Alice paused and rubbed the back of her head. She laughed as she muttered wryly, "Not that I think I'm some sort of all important factor in your playing. I know that I don't really matter that much--" The moment that she got these words out Alice felt the careful touch of warm hands cupping her chin. Lifting her head, she looked into bright blue eyes that were dark and serious in their intentions. "Dane?"

"You do matter that much to me," Dana uttered quietly and powerfully. "Never doubt that, Al."

Ducking her eyes and wearing a smile of pure joy, Alice visibly swallowed a lump in her throat then continued, "Anyway. I wanted to make something for you that would maybe help you feel not so nervous." Keeping her eyes focused on the ground, she quickly produced something from behind her back and thrust it at the tennis player. "I want you to play it on your drive there. I think it could help you loosen up."

"Okay," said Dana, her frown returning and taking the object from Alice. It was a blank cd case and the standard slip cover that it was included with had 'You're the best, Dana!' written on it in red magic marker with Alice's distinctive and messy scrawl.

Looking up as Dana studied the cd, Alice offered in explanation, "They're like motivational songs for you. Stuff that I think if you listen to you'll be more relaxed by the time you get to the tournament. You know, put you in the right athletic mindset or something stupid like that."

Opening the cd case, Dana didn't actually read the track listings. Instead she found herself focused on the number of tracks on the cd. It had 18 songs on it. Alice had actually sat down and taken the time to choose 18 songs that she thought might make Dana feel better during those first five crucial days of the tournament. Not only had Alice found 18 songs, she took the time to handwrite the tracks out in the inside of the cd slip cover, not that Dana was busy reading what they said. She was still focused on what the writer had done for her.

Making a cd was such a very small thing but at the same time it served as a perfect example of why Dana remained in love with Alice through all the years. Alice was always doing things like this, small things that told you again and again how much she cared for you. They were almost like a never ending wave of reassurance that never failed to splash over you when you were feeling your very lowest and helped to wake you up to the fact that people cared for you. 

That Alice cared for you.

"You think it's stupid, right?" Alice's voice that held an undercurrent of muted humiliation met Dana's ears. The blonde tried to take the cd back from Dana and said, "Forget it, Dane. It was a stupid idea, I know--"

"Stop telling me what you think you know," interrupted Dana softly, her voice kind but clearly saying this topic wasn't up for discussion. Her hands held Alice's gentle but firm, preventing her from taking the cd back. She carefully extracted it from the blonde's grasp and put it into the back pocket of her jeans. Then she slowly lifted Alice's chin so their eyes met. When they did, she murmured, "I love you so much, Al."

And then she kissed Alice, kissed her soft and sweet to then change it to intense and passionate and then to fierce and unwavering. Dana kissed her and kissed her until they felt they had no more kisses left to give. When they parted with quiet shuddering sighs they clung to each other and Dana whispered into a halo of soft blonde hair, "It wasn't a stupid idea. I love my new cd and I'm going to play it on repeat for the entire drive there."

"You don't have to do that," said Alice, laughing and sounding muffled, burying herself further into Dana's arms. "You just listening to it once is enough for me."

"I'm going to play it on repeat," Dana declared, kissing the top of Alice's head and rocking them to and fro. "You got that? Repeat, repeat, repeat."

"I get, I get, I get," Alice replied sardonically. She sighed again to then reluctantly pull away from Dana as she said, "You better get going. Tonya said that you have to be there for that press conference at 10 a.m. and it's a five hour drive."

"Five hours filled with me listening to my new cd," said Dana, grinning big and removing the cd from her back pocket to hold it up proudly.

Smiling at this, Alice reached up to stroke Dana's cheek and said, "You'll play great, baby. I just know it. Call me when you arrive, all right? I want to know you got there safe."

"Okay," agreed Dana breathlessly with a nod and a happy smile.

They remained like that for several moments then they burst into laughter upon realizing neither of them wanted to go anywhere. Dana down to her car and Alice inside the condo. Even with the very early hour and chilly air they far preferred to be with one another.

"All right," said Alice through her laughter, wiping at her eyes. "On the count of three I'll go inside and you'll go to the car."

"When you say three or after you say three?" asked Dana playfully.

"They're the same thing, Dana," said Alice dryly. She watched the tennis player open her mouth to protest and said, "Fine. When I say three is when we'll do it."

"One," said Alice, smiling at Dana.

"Two," said Dana, smiling at Alice.

"Three," they said together before coming together for a kiss that somehow managed to be both hurried and filled with genuine love and devotion. 

When the kiss ended, Dana turned quickly to jog down the stairs of her condo and to her car. Leaving Alice feeling unsteady as she extended an arm to lean into the doorway of the condo. Creating a perfect reverse portrait of their first kiss in the process. Something that didn't escape the blonde as she returned Dana's wave and watched her drive away. 

Releasing a large and trembling sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair, Alice turned to head inside and muttered, "Four days and counting."

\---

She didn’t put the cd in right away because Dana was one of those people who enjoyed listening to music during a long drive once the actual portion of the long drive itself began. But once she was safely on the highway she inserted the cd and was immediately met with a booming swell of music and an impassioned male voice singing, “Try to be best. Cause you’re only a man. And a man’s gotta learn to take it. Try to believe. Though the going gets rough. That you gotta hang tough to make it.”

“No way,” said Dana in something akin to shock, she quickly reached towards the passenger seat and grabbed the cd case that was lying there and flipped it open. Glancing from between the highway and the cd case, laughing at what she read there. “She actually made me a cd with the song from Karate Kid on it?” Tossing the cd back onto the seat, Dana experimentally clicked through the tracks stopping at number six. 

This time Kenny Loggins burst out of the stereo singing, “I’m alright. Nobody worry 'bout me. Why you got to gimme a fight? Can't you just let it be?”

“Caddyshack,” said Dana, shaking her head and laughing, reaching out to click to another random track. Only Alice would think to put the theme song to Caddyshack on a cd meant to help inspire a massive sports victory.

Track eleven sounded its distinctive and well recognized opening and this one Dana could probably sing along with since she knew the lyrics for it so well. “Rising up, back on the street. Did my time, took my chances. Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet. Just a man and his will to survive.”

“Rocky III,” Dana chuckled, leaning forward and clicking ahead again. “At least that makes sense and I sort of like that movie anyway. Mr. T is cool.”

This time she landed on track seventeen and couldn’t stop herself from singing along to this song that she, along with many others, found impossibly likable no matter how many years that passed. Even if like the theme for Caddyshack she wasn’t quite sure it fit well for the particular point of this cd. “Oh Mickey, you're so fine. You’re so fine you blow my mind. Hey Mickey. Hey Mickey,” Dana sang along. She absently thumped her fingers to the beat on the steering wheel and continued singing. “You’ve been around all night. And that’s a little long. You think you've got the right. But I think you’ve got it wrong.”

Before she knew it, Dana found herself in Oakland, somehow still singing along to Toni Basil since it was the track that she went back to the most. Smiling and feeling incredibly happy, it was then that she admitted she was wrong. Alice had made the perfect choice for every track on the cd and it certainly did what it was intended to. Put her completely at ease and soothe her frayed nerves. And feeling that she had an actual chance of winning this thing now.

\---

Two days down and two days to go, thought Alice grimly, staring at Dana's complete itinerary that Tonya had given to her before they left for the tournament. It was worn from constant folding and unfolding as Alice habitually removed it from her purse around twenty times a day. She could barely read what was printed on it but that hardly mattered as she had the tennis player's schedule memorized by heart.

Like right now, it was 11:45 a.m. and Alice knew that meant Dana was in the middle of a two hour training and review session with Mike. They would be looking at tapes of her matches so far and locating any holes in her game her opponents might exploit. 

Part of Alice realized it was sad she had Dana's day memorized better than her own but that was the way it was. At first it honestly bothered her because she was reminded of her fears of clinginess and driving Dana away with needy behavior she herself loathed seeing in others.

But it wasn't supposed to be this hard, you know? Four days. That's all it was and it wasn't even like she wasn't talking with Dana. She spoke to her several times a day, almost enough that it was practically like Dana was in the room with her.

Only she wasn't. 

Dana was in Oakland playing the best tennis of her life and Alice was proud of her. So very proud and she really did thank the technological gods for Tivo because honestly, there was nothing she loved better, in the last two days at least, than the ability to freeze frame Dana after she won each match. The huge grin of absolute joy never failed to set her heart a flutter and then she did something that always served to remind Alice just why she was so in love.

She'd look directly into the cameras and her grin would somehow become impossibly larger then she form a jerky little triangle with her index fingers and thumbs. Then she would mouth in what seemed to be a silent exclamation, "Al!" 

The gesture was silly and perplexing but it was something Dana had come up with during their fourth phone call on the first day of the tournament. Right before Dana was about to head onto the court, she became fixated on the idea of somehow saying thank you to Alice each time she won a match. Thank you because the athlete claimed the cd she was given would surely lead her to complete victory because it was simply that good.

Alice didn't know about that but each time Dana won and she did that silly triangle gesture and said her name she fell a little bit more in love. That coupled with how much the tennis player claimed that her stupid music cd had helped her. The writer knew it couldn't possibly be that influential in helping her to win matches but the fact that Dana tried to make it out to be?

God, how she loved her for that.

"Why the fuck are you staring at a napkin?" Gabby asked, unceremoniously sitting down at Alice's table, crossing her legs and popping a piece of candy into her mouth. 

"It's not a napkin," said Alice in slight exasperation. When the brunette reached for the itinerary, she whapped at her hand playfully and when Gabby looked at her in confusion, she arched an eyebrow significantly. "Did I say you could look at it?"

Narrowing her eyes decisively, an evil smile formed on Gabby's features and she leaned forward, opening her mouth and letting her candy fall out of it and directly into Alice's cup of coffee, making an audible sploosh. Alice shrieked at this and Gabby took advantage of the writer's distraction and grabbed the itinerary to then begin reading it.

Meanwhile, Alice was obsessed with whatever the hell Gabby had spit into her coffee. It was sort of rectangle shaped and brown and looked like… well, a poop log.

"Ewww," Alice scrunched up her nose, peering into her coffee and the brown candy monstrosity floating there. "You spit a Tootsie Roll into my coffee, Gabby?! You know how much I hate Tootsie Rolls!" 

"Why does your tennis player have so many press conferences? How much can she really have to say to them? I'm not sure there's a deeper level of meaning behind whacking a ball and running across a court," said Gabby in laconic tones. "It would be funny though. To have a player psychoanalyze their own performances to the indifferent press core legions."

"They ask her about the matches she just played," said Alice, grimacing and trying her best to scoop the Tootsie Roll out of her coffee with a spoon. "Her mindset and all of that. Besides, the press likes talking to Dana. She gives pretty good interviews."

"Ah," said Gabby, sounding supremely bored with that idea. She grinned on seeing Alice frowning in deep concentration as she continued her attempts in scooping the Tootsie Roll out of her drink. "You give pretty good interviews. I have to admit I find myself perversely entertained by your new show, Alice."

"Gee, thanks," Alice replied sardonically, cursing inwardly as the evil Tootsie Roll floated away from her again. Why the hell did The Planet have such big coffee cups anyway? "That's a great vote of confidence. My head will soon explode from how much you've inflated it."

"Who's on the show tonight? The chick who has the world's ugliest dog?" asked Gabby absently, pushing Dana's itinerary back towards Alice who was still occupied with the Tootsie Roll extraction. "And some band, right?"

"Susie Lockheed," said Alice, scowling as the Tootsie Roll managed to sink under the surface of the coffee and away from the clutches of her spoon. "Her dog Sam has won that contest for like three years now. I'm not even sure how we got her, you know? I mean, my show goes from 12 a.m. to 1 a.m. and I wasn't expecting to get many people actually agreeing to call in at those times but it's been okay so far. That dog of hers is sort of freakish looking though."

"Freakish to some is beauty to others," Gabby said in rather philosophical tones as she reached into Alice's coffee and plucked her Tootsie Roll out. Popping it into her mouth, she rose to her feet and gave the blonde a fond pat on the top of her head. "Time for me to answer some phones. I'll talk to you later, Alice." Giving an backwards wave, she called, "Have fun interviewing owners of freak dogs!"

Looking from her coffee to Gabby's exiting figure then back to her coffee again, Alice stared into it, thinking of the evil Tootsie Roll that had invaded it before the brunette's fingers did the same and groaned, "I can't drink this now." Then mere seconds later she realized just where Gabby's coffee and Tootsie Roll tainted fingers ended up. Causing her hands to fly up to the top of her head as she squeaked in outrage, "I just got back from the stylist!"

While the nearby women who heard this cry didn't know exactly what had happened to Alice's hair, they understood perfectly the pain of having a beautiful and expensive head of hair being ruined by circumstances beyond your control. To say Alice was a figure of sympathy as she rushed out the doors of The Planet was an understatement of a decent degree. 

\---

"You looked at your watch again!" crowed Rich, leaning back in his chair and pointing at Alice in triumph. "That's another five bucks in my wallet. I almost have enough to take my girlfriend out for fancy French cuisine."

"On eighty dollars? Where are you going to eat? The nonexistent French ghetto?" said Alice dryly. "I'm glad I'm not your girlfriend. And anyway," the blonde huffed irritably. "I wasn't looking at my watch. I was admiring my new manicure."

"Clearly a case of denial," noted Rich sadly, heaving a large sigh. "Why can't you just admit you're counting the milliseconds until tonight's show ends and you're on a plane flying towards Dana Fairbanks, pro tennis star and sexy lesbian woman?" 

"I wish you would stop calling her that," grumbled Alice.

"And no longer get such a wonderful reaction from you when I do? Heaven forefend," said Rich, releasing his strange girlish giggle that was rather evil sounding.

"Why did I want you on my show? I'm lost as to the reason right now," Alice remarked in contemplative tones, appearing as if she was seriously considering her own question. Looking at her switchboard she pressed one of the many flashing phone line buttons and said, "You're on The Chart with Alice Pieszecki and a very annoying man. I've got five minutes to kill so please help me murder them before I decide to take similar action with Rich."

"Violence isn't the answer," Rich chided and clucked his tongue.

"You're creating juvenile delinquent behavior in my client, you know that?" Tonya's voice announced in Alice's headphones, sounding highly aggravated.

"Tonya?" said Alice in confusion, unsure why she would be calling.

"Yes, Tonya," replied Tonya sarcastically. "Frustrated Manager and the former fiance of Dana Fairbanks. Who, by the way, has gone missing."

"Dana's missing? Is she okay? When did this happen? How did you lose her?" Alice rapidly fired off each question with clearly increasing panic.

Answering the questions in order, Tonya said, "Yes; I assume so; twenty minutes ago; and the tricky tennis player made her escape under the guise of buying a can of soda at the machine."

"Dana Fairbanks, pro tennis star and sexy lesbian woman is trick tr-tr-tr-trick tricky trickyyyyyyyy," drawled Rich, halfway singing and managing to do a decent song tribute. 

"Stop calling her that!" snapped Alice and Tonya in unison.

"Girlfriend and ex-girlfriend combined attack," Rich remarked, grinning impishly. "Cool."

"Why would Dana sneak out?" asked Alice, genuinely perplexed over this new development. 

Silence then Tonya muttered, "Why did I think you were the smart one? I was clearly wrong about since Dana has the intelligence to pull off telling believable lies."

"Hey!" exclaimed Alice for an offended protest. "Just because my girlfriend is smart enough to trick you is no reason to insult me."

More silence then Tonya said dryly, "It's not?" When Alice didn't reply, she chuckled and murmured, "Sorry. I guess I'm slightly disturbed that she managed to lie so successfully to me. I pride myself on the ability to see through various forms of BS."

"Dana Fairbanks, pro tennis star, sexy lesbian woman, and tricky master of deception," declared Rich, leaning back in his chair and giggling.

"You want to go or should I?" asked Tonya sardonically.

"I've had enough turns this week, so you go ahead," said Alice humorously.

"Stop calling her that," Tonya growled her frightening command.

Rich blinked and turning to Alice with a guileless expression, he questioned, "Is it bad that I was sort of turned on by hearing her say that?"

"I'm just glad to know that when I say the words it doesn't have the same effect," said Alice wryly. Looking at her watch and hoping that Rich didn't notice, she grinned and said, "Well, that's all folks. For this week at least. The hour is now 1 a.m. and that means I'm going to get on a plane and meet my apparently AWOL girlfriend. Tonya, can you do me a favor and maybe save her lecture for tomorrow morning?"

"We'll see," said Tonya, not promising anything.

"Great," said Alice, rolling her eyes and heaving a sigh as she disconnected the call with Tonya. "That's it for The Chart. We'll be back next Monday at Midnight, kiddies. Till then have fun and try to not get arrested."

"You looked at your watch just then! That's another five bucks you owe me!" cried Rich gleefully before the station went into commercial. 

Eighty five dollars wasn't enough for fancy French cuisine but Rich did manage to buy his girlfriend a decent meal at a small Sushi bar for that cash. Where they drank saki in toast to Alice and Dana, the founders of the feast, to quote Bob Cratchit.

\---

The first thing that Alice saw when she exited the jetway was Dana and the second thing she saw was Dana's hair flying into her face thanks to the speedy momentum of her hug. Laughing happily as strong arms wrapped around her, lifting off the ground, Alice breathed in the fresh scent of the athlete's shampoo. Lost by how very good it felt to once again be in the arms of the person she loved more than anyone else. 

Even if it had only been four days since this had occurred, not four weeks, not fourth months, and not four years. Just four days but if you asked Alice it was four days too many. 

"I missed you," Dana said in a hushed confession, holding Alice tightly and lowering her carefully to the ground. There was no space between their bodies and she aimed to keep it that way for a good while. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too," Alice murmured, sighing happily. She pulled back and rested their foreheads together to look at Dana with smiling eyes. A mischievous grin quirked on her lips and she drawled, "You are in so much trouble with Tonya for sneaking out."

"I know," said Dana sheepishly, ducking her eyes. After a moment, she peered shyly up at the blonde and said quietly, "I wanted to pick you up though. I wanted to see you."

Smiling softly, Alice kissed Dana lightly and moved to whisper in her ear, "I'll take care of Tonya, okay? You just concentrate on playing the best tennis you can." Her hands caressed the small of Dana's back in a circular rub. "You're doing great, baby."

"Yeah," said Dana, a grin working across her features. Her blue eyes twinkling when she looked at Alice with an utterly satisfied expression on her features. "I really am, aren't I?" 

"You really are," agreed Alice, nodding her head and returning the grin before nuzzling Dana's nose with her own. "I couldn't believe your last match. That serve you did…"

"Reverse slice," said Dana proudly. "I've been working with Mike on it for a few months now and I've finally got it down."

"I have no idea what that means but it was impressive," Alice laughed, kissing Dana again. Moving backwards, she held the tennis player's hand and looked around the airport. "How do we get out of this crazy place?"

Strong arms wrapped around Alice's waist and Dana rested her face next to the blonde's. Her breath warm on pale skin as she murmured teasingly, "Someone's in a hurry."

"You don't want me to be?" asked Alice, arching an eyebrow as she looked at the athlete while instinctively pressing into the warmth of Dana's embrace. A glint appeared in her brown gaze and Alice said in off hand tones, "I guess someone isn't in the mood to have some hot but sort of icky because we're not sure if the sheets are actually clean hotel sex."

"Gross, Al," said Dana, scrunching up her nose and bumping the writer gently forward with her hips. "And I'll have you know my mother brought sheets from home for me. She's got the same paranoia about them that apparently you have." 

"It's not paranoia, hotel rooms are nasty," said Alice, scowling. Then she processed what Dana just said and looked at her in surprised curiosity. "She really brought sheets?" 

"She really did," said Dana in droll tones.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Alice said enthusiastically, once again taking Dana's hand in her own to lead a determined and fast paced exit out of the airport and towards the hotel.

Where clean sheets on a king sized bed awaited them.

\---

Standing in the back of the crowded press conference room next to Tonya and Sharon with a smile permanently etched onto her features, Alice watched Dana answer the flurry of questions being fired at her. The athlete was strangely in her element which didn't make sense to Alice at first as Dana wasn't the type of person who was good at talking about herself.

But then again, this wasn't Dana talking about herself. This was Dana talking about placing second in the tournament and her performance in her matches. In other words, this was Dana talking about tennis and if there was anything Dana could talk easily about it was that.

Which was why Dana was in her element and looking utterly stunning with her glittering smile and happy demeanor. Sighing softly, Alice wondered if she could maybe get her hands on some of the photographs currently being taken. They would surely be good ones. And not just because the athlete was in her vein popping hot mode Alice was so fond of.

It was more that she was everything the blonde hoped she would be someday. Dana was confident and she was content, finally and completely at ease in her own skin and it showed in her every gesture and word spoken.

Dana was happy.

And seeing her that way made Alice share the feeling tenfold which is why Tonya lifted an eyebrow at her and remarked in sedate observation, "You're smiling enough to be the Joker."

"Huh?" Alice blinked, reluctantly looking from Dana to Tonya. "Did you say something?"

"Nothing of importance," said Tonya, smirking. She tilted her head to look around Alice and focus on Sharon. "I don't think I want to give you back your sheets."

"Oh?" asked Sharon, laughing quietly. "Why is that?"

"Seven hundred thread count, of course," drawled Tonya humorously. "How can you possibly expect a girl to give something like that up?" 

"Yeah," Alice agreed emphatically, also not wanting to part with the borrowed sheets from Sharon. They were way too soft and comfortable and lacking certain kinds of friction properties that she had found were not good for bedroom activities. Plus they were pretty. "It's criminal of you to expect us to give them up and go back to three hundred thread count sheets."

"Is that so?" Sharon remarked playfully. She started to say something but paused for a moment and looked at Alice and Tonya who met her gaze rather blankly before chuckling. "I have to admit," she murmured. "I never thought I would find myself having a discussion with my daughter's former fiance, who happens to be a woman, and her current girlfriend about the superior qualities of high thread count sheets."

"But here you are," supplied Alice, grinning. Nodding towards Dana who continued to wear a wide smile of pure happiness on her features as she talked with the press, Sharon followed her gaze. "And being here is a good thing, right?"

Watching Dana laugh and smile and talk with such ease and assurance, totally comfortable in her own skin and focusing on them every few minutes, giving them tiny waves of her hand and occasionally forming a triangle for some odd reason, Sharon smiled softly and sweetly.

"Yes," she said quiet but commanding. "It's a very good thing."

\---

The Planet had been a second home for Dana since the first time she went there with Alice a little over six years ago and it had always been the place she felt completely comfortable about being herself in. Besides when she was on the tennis court, of course.

Unfortunately that comfortable feeling which Dana had accepted as simply being the norm when it came to spending time at The Planet had recently been replaced by one of distinct unease. All because Kit hired Lara to be her head chef and was on the premises almost constantly. Now it wasn't the redhead herself that was the problem, far from it. The problem instead came from precisely who Lara was dating.

Gabby fucking Deveaux.

Every day and every night Gabby fucking Deveaux was in The Planet, smiling and joking and being her smug charming self like she always was. With not only Lara, though that did bother the athlete, but with Alice as well. And when it came to Gabby fucking Deveaux and Alice?

Dana tended to get a lot more than bothered. 

She tended to get angry, she tended to get jealous, and she tended to get on the almost insane side of her emotional spectrum. The worst part of the situation was that Gabby knew what she did to Dana. Each time she had come into The Planet and saw her there with Alice, smiling and joking and doing the things that Dana hated her for she would get this look.

Alice was the writer, she was good with words whether it be spoken or written, they were her thing. Dana was good at tennis and that was it in her opinion. Which was why she didn't know exactly how to describe the look Gabby formed when she would see her with Alice. One thing was for sure though, to her it was a look that said quite clearly that Gabby understood that the athlete was jealous. She understood and she didn't care. No, if anything Gabby seemed to mock Dana for it with that look she gave and it made Dana want to punch her even though she didn't have the slightest idea of how to punch anyone. Maybe she should ask Howie about that… something told her he would probably know.

But Gabby would give that look and Dana would get angry then uncomfortable because throughout all the time they'd known each other, Alice had always been able to tell when the brunette was angry. So being Alice, she would ask Dana why she was angry and Dana couldn't tell Alice it had to do with Gabby when Gabby was sitting right there and she also couldn't tell Alice because it was just a look, you know?

It was just a look.

There was no evidence behind the look, it was just that. Just a look and a look couldn't be recorded down as evidence for the type of thoughts Dana was having. Mainly thoughts about Gabby fucking Deveaux trying to scheme her way back into Alice's life by way of friendship was yet another route for her to try and get back with the blonde romantically.

Which wasn't something Dana would allow. Normally she didn't like to think that way… her parents had forever harped to her about what they would allow. When they initially rejected her due to her sexual orientation she had countless conversations involving what they would or wouldn’t allow being associated with the all important Fairbanks family name. Allow wasn't a word Dana had much affection for. Not at all.

But she had to use it when it came to Gabby fucking Deveaux trying her best to worm her way back into Alice's life just because she felt that strongly about it. Though the truth was, she only felt adamant enough to use the usually disdained word of allow because she was scared.

Countless times she had seen it happen. Alice was with someone who was good to her, someone sweet and kind and intelligent and good looking, just someone good and then like clockwork, Gabby would appear. And that good sweet kind person? Oh, they were gone the very next day. Alice would toss them aside and run to Gabby and each time she'd laugh wryly to Dana and say that she knew she was probably being stupid but there was something about Gabby that she couldn't forget and let go of.

She knew Alice loved her, there was no doubt when it came to that. Dana knew it well and she knew it by heart. Alice loves Dana was probably imprinted on her heart, in fact. Along with Dana loves Alice. Which although cheesy, the thought always made her smile. Anyway, she knew Alice loved her but that wasn't what this was about. 

It was about Alice and her feelings for Gabby.

Or rather the fact the feelings never seemed to go away. How Alice could take Gabby back time and time again always baffled Dana and the puzzlement never went away because the blonde didn't understand it either. She had tried so many times to explain why it happened but each time Alice would look at her so lost and hurt then say she had no idea. And Dana would forget her questions of why and hold the writer to her, trying to soothe that hurt and cursing Gabby fucking Deveaux yet again.

The pattern of going back to Gabby was undeniable and though she knew Alice loved her part of Dana couldn't help being desperately afraid the pattern would emerge yet again and take the blonde away from her. And if that happened then she would be taken away for good because no matter what both of them wanted to believe, Dana knew a break between them romantically would be a break in their relationship as a whole. Because for so long the athlete had dealt with the pain caused from playing the role of only being Alice's friend when she was in love with her and now that she had the blonde as she always wanted? To even try to go back to pretending that she wasn't in love with the writer was too much to take.

She was an athlete, she knew how to deal with the pain caused from relentless hard work, from pushing yourself as far as you could go but there was only so far that Dana could go mentally and emotionally. Losing Alice after having her in the way she had, after being loved by her and loving her in return wasn't something she had confidence she could survive.

That's why she couldn't go into The Planet anymore. She couldn't go in there and see Gabby giving her that look and playing her games and know what she was doing but be unable to tell Alice for fear of losing her.

Somehow that hurt the most though. The fact that while she gained Alice as a lover, something she had always wanted and dreamed about, she lost her as a best friend. Because you can't be best friends with your lover… you just can't. There are things you tell your best friend you can't tell the person you're in love with because of the hurt you know it would cause. It was why Dana couldn't talk to Alice about the look because she knew it would only upset the blonde and she wouldn't understand. She would think Dana was being irrationally jealous and while the tennis player could admit her jealousy could be considered irrational it came from a valid place.

But Alice wouldn't see it that way.

And so, for the first time since their romance began Dana was keeping a secret from Alice. It was since their romance and not since their friendship began because almost from the very start of their friendship Dana had kept her feelings for Alice as a secret from her. But once they fell in love and started dating that all changed. Alice knew everything there was to know about Dana, which granted, wasn't that difficult as Dana tended to despise hiding things. She didn't have the patience for mind games and deception. What you saw was very much what you got with Dana Fairbanks and that was a rare thing in this world. There were few people who possessed that simple earnest nature and it was part of why Alice loved her.

It was also why Alice knew something was a matter and continued to gently prod Dana to tell her what it was. But Dana just couldn't tell her. She couldn't tell her about her jealousy over Gabby, about her suspicions Gabby was trying to win Alice back, about her worries that Gabby would succeed, about her fear that her own mistakes would cause it to happen. She couldn't tell Alice because Alice wasn't her best friend anymore, she was the woman in love with Dana.

For two weeks this had gone on and Dana tried to deal with this on her own but she just couldn't anymore. It was too hard, bottling up her fears and her worries over losing the most important thing she ever had in her life and it was taking its toll. She didn't feel like her usual lively self, she felt tired and just depressed, constantly depressed and not even a good game of tennis could jolt her out of it. Nothing stuck with her except that damning fear and worry caused by Gabby fucking Deveaux making a reemergence in Alice's life.

There was only one person Dana could talk to who would possibly understand her feelings and suspicions involving Gabby fucking Deveaux. She had been putting off going to them for help because for the first time in their life they were in love and happy, something Dana understood all too well and didn't want to take away from. But she couldn't take it anymore and that's why Dana found herself standing on the doorstep to Shane and Jenny's house, shifting nervously from foot to foot when the door opened to reveal a smiling Carmen.

"Dana!" exclaimed Carmen, her smile turning a little more glittering, if possible as she moved aside to let the athlete walk in. "What's up?"

"Is Shane here?" asked Dana, glancing around. She shoved her hands into the front pockets of her jeans and shuffled her feet. "If she's not busy or anything I need to talk to her."

"She's never too busy for friends," Carmen said warmly, reflecting on yet another thing that made her love the hair stylist so much. Her innate and incredibly loyal concern for her friends. "I think she's still talking to Jenny in her room, I'll go check," said Carmen, touching the tennis player's shoulder gently before walking away. "Sit down!" she declared playfully while walking backwards, pointing at Dana in mock severity. "Relax your overworked athlete self!"

Perching on the couch, Dana looked around the house and noted how different it looked from the last time she had seen it. There were little signs of Carmen all over, from her DJ equipment to her cds and even a shirt hanging over a nearby recliner that she had seen Carmen wearing at one time. Smiling softly, she was happy to discover this because for so many years it had always been just the three of them. 

They were the three musketeers… Alice, Shane, and Dana. Lately it seemed like they split up but Dana didn't see that as true at all because the bond of friendship remained wholly in tact. They were still friends and they were still close. The only break that occurred was the three of them spending less time together because they had finally found love and wanted to use that time to be with the person they found love with. During all those years of dating, women had come and gone romantically but their friendship lasted. It was the most important thing to all three of them because they didn't have that love they wanted, the all encompassing and powerful love of someone who knew you inside and out and loved you anyway.

Only now they had that, all three of them. Alice and Dana had found it with each other and Shane had found it with Carmen. And while this did break up the three musketeers in many real ways she felt it was for good reason or a greater cause as it were. Though it was wrong to say romantic love was more important than friendship even Dana had to admit that romantic love took far more effort and time and pain. So of course they devoted more of their time to their new romance than their old friendship. But it didn't matter, that feeling never left. They were Alice, Shane, and Dana and they still loved each other.

"Dane," Shane rumbled her name in greeting, her voice and expression all smiles and she drew the athlete into a hug once she stood up. When she pulled back, she studied Dana for a long moment with a solemn look then declared softly, "You're freaked over something."

"Yeah," said Dana wryly, laughing and rubbing the back of her head. Though she should have long since gotten used to Shane's uncanny ability to read people as she had seen it happen so many times over the years, it tended to disconcert her anyway. Just like it did now. Plopping down on the couch, she sighed deeply then looked to Shane as the hair stylist smoothly sat next to her. "You know how Gabby Deveaux is always at The Planet lately because of how she's dating Lara?"

"I hate Gabby fucking Deveaux," said Shane, making a noise of disgust.

"Me too," Dana laughed, rolling her eyes and taking a deep breath. She nibbled on her bottom lip and curled then uncurled her fingers as her hand bunched into fists, resting on her jean covered knees. "I couldn't talk to Al about this because it would only upset her and I don't want to do that plus… I mean, I could just be acting paranoid or stupid and--"

"Dane," interrupted Shane kindly, touching one of the bunched up hands and forming a small accepting smile. "Just tell me. It'll be okay, I swear it."

"I think Gabby is only pretending to be Al's friend again, and she's using that and her relationship with Lara to, you know, work her way back into Al's life so she can wait for the right time to get back with her," the words quickly spilled from Dana's lips and she darted her eyes nervously over to Shane who wore a blank expression for several moments. When no response came, she murmured hesitantly, "Shane?"

"Gabby Deveaux is such a bitch," stated Shane plainly, meeting Dana's gaze. "I don't think you're wrong, Dane… I think you're right but it sucks because you're totally right, you know?"

"Huh?" Dana blinked in confusion.

Waving her hands in a small circle, Shane leaned back into the couch and explained, "You're totally right about not telling Al. I mean, I don't think she'd see it like we do." Forming a sad but wry expression, Shane continued, "Al's always had a notorious weakness when it came to seeing how shitty Gabby really is and I doubt that's changed. Even if she's head over heels in love with you, Dane, I don't think she'd want to believe what Gabby is really up to."

"Al sees the good in people," said Dana, a sad but affectionate smile tugging on her lips. She looked at Shane and chuckled. "It's part of why I love her but it can also be a pain in the ass at times."

"Especially about Gabby Deveaux," Shane agreed with a nod. She frowned deeply then tilted her to rest on the couch cushion and maintain eye contact with Dana. "She's too fucking smart to give anything away if that's her plan. I hate her but even I have to admit she's smart as hell. There's no way for her to be stupid and get out of the amount of shit she has over the years."

"What am I supposed to do then?" Dana burst out in frustration, her knuckles cracking from how tight she squeezed her hands shut and her voice rising almost hysterically. "I can't let Gabby try and take Alice away from me! I've loved Al for years, Shane," she said this in a desperate plea, meeting her friend's eyes with a teary gaze. "For years I've been in love with her and I've wanted what we have now and I can't lose it, you know? I can't have it then lose it! I'm not that strong!" Rubbing at her eyes, she choked out, "But how can I keep it when I can't even talk to Al about what Gabby is doing? I can't tell her how scared I am that Gabby might do something that would make her…" Dana trailed off and clenched her jaw tightly shut, unable to find the strength to voice her most terrible fear.

Watching her friend shut down in front of her and frowning deeply at the sight, Shane slowly reached out to hold the tennis player's chin in her hands. Lifting her face up to meet their eyes and when they did, she murmured, "Please tell me what's getting to you, Dane. You need to tell somebody."

"What if Gabby makes Al hate me?" said Dana in shaky tones, in the barest of whispers, leaning into Shane and resting her head on the hair stylist's shoulder. "I know I'm right but I don't have any proof and she could make it sound like the reason I feel that way is because I don't trust Al. But it's not like that Shane!" Dana declared in a broken sob. "I trust Al so much, I trust her with my life, I always have… since the day I met her and knew she was a journalist and I was a closeted lesbian that she could easily out. I trust her so much but Gabby fucking Deveaux?" she released a scoffing laugh. "I trust her about as far as I could throw her which isn't anywhere because throwing her means touching her which I so don't want to do."

Chuckling at this last remark, Shane hugged her friend. "Al could never hate you, Dane," she said in a strong murmur. "I know that for a fact. No matter what she could never hate you and Gabby can't ever make her feel that way, all right?"

"All right," said Dana, releasing a wavering breath. She pulled back and rubbed at her eyes with her right hand that was bunched in a fist. The motion reminded Shane fondly of a small child and she added it on her list as yet another thing she found endearing about one of her oldest friends. "What should I do?"

"Hmm," Shane rumbled thoughtfully, sinking into the couch cushions and tapping on her chin. She grinned impishly and looked at Dana with sparkling green eyes. "You wait it out."

"Wait it out," repeated Dana with a good deal of skepticism. She scowled slightly and demanded, "Wait what out exactly?"

"Gabby fucking Deveaux's plan," said Shane, rolling her eyes and her grin growing wider. "She's smart but she's sure as hell not patient. You definitely got that over on her, Dane." Dana's scowl increased much like Shane's grin, making the hair stylist chuckle before she went on, "You wait it out for her to get impatient and sloppy and that's when you point out to Alice what you've been noticing. Or you just wait it out for Gabby to get bored of Al, yet again, and that leaves her with you. Because Dane," she paused to look at her friend with an utterly serious expression that was clearly heartfelt. "You gotta know you're the one for Al. She loves you, she wants to be with you, and Gabby doesn't have shit on that. All you have to do is to just keep it up. Keep being there for Al and just loving her, you know? You just be yourself, Dane," Shane advised, grinning and chuckling softly as she flicked her friend on the tip of her nose lightly. "That's all it's going to take. I promise."

Rubbing her nose and scowling still, Dana mumbled, "If you say so."

"I do say so," Shane rumbled, grinning and embracing Dana in a one armed hug before pointing a finger at her. "Listen to me you must because Yoda I am and know all Yoda does."

"Yoda needs grammar lessons," Dana teased before bumping the other woman gently. 

While it was true the Alice, Shane, and Dana friendship was different than before and it had been tested it had never been broken. When friendship was this strong it couldn't ever really break. That was a lesson that Dana had learned for herself today.

\---

There were a few rare people in Alice's life who understood and shared her love of bad movies. Tina was one and Gabby was another. With Tina moving into the later stages of pregnancy and not really enjoying it all that much, Alice had one other choice when it came to seeing a certain bad movie as it played at an noon showing at a local theater well known for showing the fruits of gay and lesbian cinema.

After both mocking and laughing at the general badness that was Claire Of The Moon, Alice found herself excitedly explaining the plot for, in her humble opinion, quite possibly the greatest movie of all time. And what was it? SWAT Monkeys, that's right.

"The Government creates these super smart monkeys and trains them to execute the harder SWAT team missions that humans couldn't ever pull off!" Alice exclaimed, her voice holding an excited squeak. She looked to Gabby who raised an eyebrow in speculation and silently tipped her bag of black licorice Twizzler bites towards the blonde in offering. Taking a piece, Alice chewed on it and mumbled, "What do you think? Disney quality or what?"

"It does have that lovely Disney stamp of idiocy to it," drawled Gabby, popping a piece of licorice into her mouth. "But in order for a movie to be truly Disney caliber you must have very important thing that you're currently missing."

"Yeah? What's that?" Alice asked curiously.

Pausing in her walk, Gabby looked at Alice and said in entirely somber tones, "The theme song for the movie has to be sung by some type of pop princess. Hilary Duff, Lindsey Lohan, Ashlee Simpson, Alexa Vega… one of those types."

"I never thought about that," said Alice, frowning and realizing that indeed having a popular teen singer would certainly boost the movie's popularity.

"It'd help bring in the numbers," remarked Gabby wisely, tipping the licorice towards Alice again who took another piece with a smile.

"I love black licorice," Alice mumbled around the candy. "Most people don't like it though. I wonder why?" She looked over at Gabby who shrugged in response. "Is it because black isn't the licorice norm? That when we think of licorice we think red and somehow that means black licorice isn't quite as good?"

"People reject the black licorice because it's different," Gabby announced, then went about chewing on another piece of the candy. "Just like they don't like white chocolate but they'll eat normal brown chocolate or super dark chocolate by the pound. It's a form of candy racism."

"Candy racism!" cried Alice in delight, clapping her hands together. She turned to Gabby and grinned largely. "You're so right. It is totally a form of candy racism that people love red licorice and have only disdain for black licorice. And the whole thing with white chocolate? Please," Alice rolled her eyes expressively. "Don't get me into that. White chocolate is so abused and degraded in the opinions of candy eaters."

"White chocolate is oppressed," said Gabby solemnly, tipping the bag towards Alice to let her take some more pieces. "It's being held down by the candyman."

Alice burst into laughter at this and Gabby smiled softly then focused ahead on the sidewalk they were walking down. When Alice asked her to go see the worst lesbian movie of all time, in their opinion anyway, she didn't know what to think. How to play it according to the plan but it had been so easy spending time with Alice. Then again, that was why Gabby liked her, why she loved her she supposed.

Things were easy with her and things were never easy in Gabby's life. They were always fucked up and complicated and a massive headache but with Alice, things were simple and that was something Gabby really appreciated. Although it had taken a few years for that fact to finally sink in. But now she knew and now she wasn't going to waste anymore time. She would let Alice know very soon how she felt and they could finally have that life together she knew the blonde had wanted to start with her countless times before.

"I missed this," said Gabby suddenly, her voice quiet but sincere. She glanced at Alice who blinked at her in surprise and the screenwriter formed a smile on seeing this. "I missed hanging out with you, Alice. We always have a good time."

"Yeah," Alice replied in a murmur, returning the smile. "We do."

Feeling herself blush and hating it because it was such a fucking girly thing to do and Gabby truly despised it when she did lame girly things. She then scowled and popped a piece of licorice in her mouth. They walked in companionable silence for awhile then Gabby said, "I found the funniest band the other day. You know how I was in Sacramento researching one of my screenplays?" She looked over to Alice who nodded encouragingly. "I walked into this random bar to get a drink and I swear to god, there was this band onstage dressed in Star Trek uniforms but they had on leather pants and stuff too."

"Oh my god," breathed Alice, expectant laughter sounding eagerly in her voice. "You're kidding! Did they have on like Spock ears and stuff too?"

"I don't think so but they played nothing but Star Trek themed songs. But there were all these people in the club dressed up like Spock and those weird forehead aliens," Gabby frowned and tried to recall their names.

"Klingons!" Alice exclaimed, laughing happily. "There were people at a rock concert dressed up like Klingons? That's the funniest thing ever."

"It was like fucking Halloween or one of their nerdy conventions or something," said Gabby humorously. "Really it was the strangest thing but want to know the really fucked up part?" she asked dryly, meeting Alice's curious gaze.

"What?" asked Alice with a grin.

"I liked their music," revealed Gabby in sardonic yet somehow sheepish tones. When Alice burst into laughter again, she scowled and lightly kicked the blonde in the butt with the side of her foot. "Don't laugh at me! They were fucking good and they have this chick in their band who dresses in a tiny leather outfit. She was really hot."

"She sounds hot," chuckled Alice.

"You're still laughing," Gabby accused, kicking Alice lightly again and smirking when the writer yelped and covered her ass with her hands while leaping forward. "Anyway, do you want to go to see them with me this Saturday? They're putting on another concert then and despite their fucking sad and super nerdy origins I think you'd like their stuff."

"I'd love to go see the super nerdy band with you but I'm doing something with Dana this weekend," said Alice, looking a little regretful about not being able to see an actual Star Trek Tribute band in the flesh. "I'm not even sure what we're doing," she confessed with a frown. "Dana's been really secretive about it, like national security level secretive. I've hardly seen her at all this week, she's been so busy planning."

Noting the air of anticipation and joy Alice expressed in these words, Gabby felt her heart sink and cursed inwardly at the feeling. She didn't get fucking heart sinking feelings. That wasn't who she was. Reminding herself of that, she shook her head and offered in droll tones, "You'll be on a mysterious weekend adventure with your jock. What oodles of fun."

"I know," said Alice happily, not appearing to recognize the level of sarcasm that was lacing the brunette's words. "I can't wait."

\---

There has always been a belief when it comes to romantic gestures the bigger they were, the better. That somehow the more extravagant the gesture was a signal as to how deep the love was. Which is why when Dana decided she wanted to surprise Alice with a romantic weekend getaway the first things she thought about were right out of the pages of a dating handbook.

A charming bed and breakfast in the country, a lovely house on the beach, a glamorous penthouse suite in a five star hotel. But as she came up with these ideas none of them really seemed right to Dana. Maybe because they were just so very typical and to the athlete the fact that they were typical somehow placed less value in them. Taking Alice to a bed and breakfast, a beach house, or a fancy five star hotel seemed like lazy gestures to Dana. 

She wanted to do something unique for Alice, she wanted to do something that would hold special meaning for them both, something that would not only show Alice how much she loved her but how well Dana knew her as a person. For hours she poured over endless conversations she had with Alice over the years trying to find the one perfect thing that was just as different and special as she considered her relationship with Alice to be.

Ever since her last tournament the attention to Dana had turned up by several degrees and while she did enjoy it all that attention made her realize how important Alice was to her. Just because Alice loved her before all that. Before she became the newest 'it lesbian' and cool tennis player on the block. Alice loved Dana for who she really was, not what the media was trying to make her into. With everything glossy and fake in the world, Alice remained the most solid and sturdy link in Dana's life. The one thing that never let her down and she wanted Alice to know so very badly how important she was.

And she had to find the perfect way to do that in a weekend.

Dedicating the entire week to finding out what that perfect way was and then once discovering what it was, arranging it to be absolutely… well, perfect for Alice had proved to be a fairly exhausting task. But to Dana it was definitely worth it. Especially if the blonde liked it as much as she thought she would.

Although much of the weekend was inspired by various long held desires Dana had kept with her over the span of their long friendship as she hid her feelings for Alice. Things having to do with some of her favorite stories the writer had told her about her teenage and college years.

Stories that Dana now hoped would include the weekend she had meticulously planned down to every last detail. Including what clothes to wear, what the things to pack, and what was the perfect time to leave. Yes, she had everything completely figured out. Except for whether or not Alice would like it. That was something she could only hope about.

\---

Following Dana down the front steps of her condo, Alice wondered for the hundredth time exactly what the athlete was up to. All of her attempts to wheedle what they would be doing this weekend out of the tennis player failed completely and she was dying with curiosity. 

"Why did I have to wear my super butch ensemble?" asked Alice again, trying to at least figure out why Dana demanded she wear her favorite pair of jeans, her Dr. Martens, and some blue t-shirt that according to the athlete clung to her in all the right places. "Have you been talking to Ed again? I thought you won that argument about me in heels."

"I did win," said Dana proudly, hefting the duffel bags over her shoulder again. "I got him to admit you look killer in high heels and to never again bother you about wearing them." She grinned and looked at Alice over her shoulder. "It was a truly great day in the history of your more femme outfits."

"Why I am dressed like this?" Alice halfway whined, wanting to stomp her boots in childish frustration but figuring it would ruin the image Dana had been going for with the clothes. 

Loving that she had managed to work the blonde up into such a thorough fit of curiosity, Dana set the duffle bags down and stood in front of a rectangular object covered with a huge black tarp. Alice blinked at the tarp and wondered what the hell it was and Dana grinned again, then stuck her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and offered nervously, "When I came up with the idea of us getting away for a romantic weekend I thought about all the standard stuff. Bed and breakfast, a beach house, all of that… but I thought it wasn't special enough, you know? I wanted to pick something that sort of, I don't know, reflected how long we've known each other and… well…" Dana nibbled on her bottom lip and decided to just show Alice and see what she thought. "Here's what I came up with!"

With that, Dana whipped off the black tarp and revealed the figure of a 2004 black and orange Triumph Speedmaster motorcycle. She watched nervously as Alice walked up to it and touched the tank lightly then looked at Dana in confusion. "You bought a motorcycle?" she asked.

"No, I rented it," said Dana, laughing from anxiety and rubbing the back of her head. "I thought it would be fun for us to maybe go on a road trip like you told me you did all those times in high school with your boyfriend or in college with your band. We've done road trips before, yeah, but never as a couple and never on a motorcycle and it seemed like you really liked riding…"

"I love riding them," said Alice slowly, a happy grin slowly spreading on her features as she realized just what Dana had done for her and how much thought it had taken. She blinked then turned to the athlete. "My drivers license is expired for motorcycles though. Wait…" Her slight frown grew deeper, into an actual frown and she continued, "How did you rent a motorcycle without a license? I thought you couldn't do that."

"I've sort of been taking lessons," said Dana sheepishly, pulling out a trainers permit that she had and passing it to Alice. "That's why I've been so busy. It's been practice tennis, practice driving a motorcycle, practice tennis, practice driving a motorcycle and you get the picture."

"Yeah," Alice said with an exuberant laugh, "I get the picture." She studied Dana's drivers permit and grinned at the weird picture they had of her stuck to it then looked up at the athlete and held it up as she said, "A permit still isn't enough to let you legally rent one. How did you pull this off anyway? Did you use your fancy pro tennis playing connections?"

"Sort of," said Dana very reluctantly, looking like she really did not want to discuss the subject. Which, of course, made Alice all the more curious about how it had been arranged.

"Dana Fairbanks," chuckled Alice in rather naughty tones, sidling up to the brunette and wrapping her arms around Dana's waist and pulling the athlete back so there was hardly any space between their bodies. Nudging wavy brown hair off to one side, she pressed a light path of kisses on the tanned neck before her, nuzzling into the soft skin while she murmured, "Tell me how you did it? I want to know."

Releasing a quiet moan when Alice nipped at a particularly sensitive spot, Dana tangled her left hand into messy blonde hair to hold the writer closer to her and gasped, "I flirted."

"You what?" asked Alice, releasing her very distinctive squeak, stopping in her attentions and making Dana groan in disappointment. She tilted her head to meet blue eyes dark with desire and lifted an eyebrow skeptically. "What did you say?"

"I flirted with them," admitted Dana sheepishly. There was no response from Alice other than continuing to stare expectantly and sighing heavily at this, Dana decided that meant to go on with her explanation, "They didn't want to rent me the motorcycle because I didn't have a license so I started talking about what a nice shop they had and what great guys they were to make the time to teach me how to ride. Then I told them how I was going to bring you by and introduce them as the guys who taught me everything I knew about motorcycles. And then I told them their jeans fit nicely and eventually they just decided to let me rent a motorcycle."

"You actually told them their jeans fit nicely?" asked Alice, her voice laced with humor. "You said those exact words?"

Biting her lip and wondering if she was in trouble over using flirting methods to get a motorcycle to rent, Dana said, "I think I said something like, 'Wow Mike… those Dickies jeans look really nice with that black skull t-shirt' and maybe something about how his hair looked like, more spikey than usual and it was neat." There was a long silence and Dana was now nibbling on her lip and looked to Alice worriedly. "Are you mad at me Al? I just really wanted to rent a motorcycle. This weekend is important to me and I wanted it to be perfect…"

"Those Dickies jeans look really nice with that black skull t-shirt," Alice repeated, a large smile growing on her features and as soon as Dana saw it she knew she wasn't in trouble. But she was definitely about to get teased. Except the teasing never came, Alice just chuckled quietly then kissed Dana's cheek and murmured, "I swear you're so adorable sometimes, Dane. It just kills me, your adorableness. You're almost fucking deadly with it at times."

"You're not mad," Dana breathed a huge sigh of relief, sinking into Alice's arms and feeling her body lose all its tension. "Good, that makes me feel better."

"I'm not mad," assured Alice, kissing Dana's neck and smiling into the tanned skin. They remained in their embrace for a moment then she said playfully, "But what are we going to do if I get pulled over for speeding and the only thing we have is my expired motorcycle license and your trainer's permit? Are we going to rely on your expert flirting skills again?"

Laughing happily, Dana bumped back into Alice and said, "Don't speed! Then we won't have to worry about that, will we?"

"Don't speed?" asked Alice, pouting as she looked at the Triumph. "Dane, do you see that bike? How can you tell me not to speed with it? It's all shiny and new and I bet it can easily go a hundred without breaking a sweat. It wants to speed… that's its purpose. Dana," Alice said her name in a somber utterance. "The bike is a Triumph SpeedMASTER. It is the Master of speed! It wants me to do it! It yearns for it with its name alone."

"I guess I'll have to flirt with the cops then," said Dana with mock exhaustion, rolling her eyes in exaggeration. Causing the blonde to giggle and kiss her cheek quickly. Laughing at this, Dana turned to face Alice and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, murmuring into her, "I'm so glad you like this, Al. I was afraid that you wouldn't."

"You, me, a motorcycle, and the road. What's not to like?" Alice replied, grinning widely and returning the kiss. She pulled away and her eyes grew lidded as she said thoughtfully, "There is one slight problem though…"

"What problem?" asked Dana worriedly, she had been sure that she thought of everything. "I've already got our route planned, the bags packed, cell phones charged, emergency cash withdrawn, told the others what we're doing this weekend--"

"The clothes," said Alice smoothly, kissing the back of Dana's head and walking around her and towards the motorcycle. Grabbing one of the two black full face flip up helmets and tossing the other to Dana who easily caught hers, Alice gave an impish grin. "If we're going to be biker chicks this weekend we SO need to look the part. That means getting us some new clothes."

Watching Alice easily tug the helmet on and hop onto the motorcycle, Dana sighed in resignation as it seemed the aspect of clothing was very important to the blonde. She personally didn't care very much but this weekend was about Alice and if new clothes made Alice happy, they would do it. No matter how pointless she found it herself. Securing the duffel bags with the cargo nets Mike had given her as a freebie, Dana settled in behind Alice and pressed against her back. Leaning forward, well aware that the blonde could hear her in the helmet she had chosen, Dana said, "What kind of clothes are we getting anyway?"

Revving up the motorcycle with a grin, Alice tilted her head back and flipped up her visor with a push of a button to look at Dana who was busy pulling her helmet on. "What do you think?" she asked with a seductive drawl. "Leather!"

The second that Dana's helmet was on and her arms were wrapped firmly around Alice's waist they were off. Well, not off on their road trip but off to buy leather pants and other such needed motorcycle road trip clothing accessories. And somehow, as she watched Alice pull on a pair of skin tight black leather pants and a beautifully matching jacket, Dana managed to see the all important necessity in making such a purchase. Or at least appreciate it.

\---

Taking the Pacific Coast Highway had been a natural choice because of the terrain itself. From hilly to almost mountainous, it made for a great drive and Alice had always loved it. They spent six hours driving on the highway, well above the speed limit Dana noted, leaning into all the twists and curves when they decided to take a break for food and rest in Bodega Bay. Which Alice eagerly pointed out was home to The Inn at The Tides, a hotel that had famously appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Birds.

"But you hate horror movies, Al," reminded Dana with a chuckle, taking Alice's hand as they walked along the entry to the restaurant, enjoying the wonderful view of the bay. "Why do you want to eat at a place that was featured in something you hate? It makes no sense."

"I never said I hate them," argued Alice, flushing slightly. "I said I was scared of them. Which is their purpose, by the way, to scare."

"No, you said you hated of them," Dana replied, grinning and tilting her head as she tried to recall the exact words spoken to her underneath that tent blanket on the couch. "You said, and I quote, 'I hate scary movies. They've always freaked me out like this since I was a little kid.' Yep," said Dana smugly, nodding her head and wrapping her arms around Alice's waist as they continued walking. "That's what you said all right."

Alice found herself unable to respond because no one had ever done that to her before. Actually remembered every single word she had said about something and Dana had just done it so effortlessly she couldn't help but be amazed by it. By yet another little thing that showed how much the athlete did love her. While Alice loved things like this weekend, the more grand gestures Dana did it was things like being able to remember what she said that truly effected her. Because to Alice it was a constant, it was something that showed over and over the love that existed between them.

She started to say just that but found herself greeted by an older woman with bobbed and graying hair who was smiling widely. "Welcome to The Tides Wharf Restaurant!"

"Hi," said Alice returning the smile on automatic, suddenly recalling what they were wearing and looking around the very nice settings, feeling a little out of place. "I'm sorry," she began, gesturing to the black leather pants she had on. "We're not exactly dressed--"

"Oh, it's fine!" the woman chirped, waving her hands in a dismissive gesture. "We get motorcyclists in here all the time. They're probably forty percent of our business and if I turned away every person I saw in leather, we'd never make our month!" She looked around Alice to smile at Dana and said, "You were great in that last tournament, dear."

"Thanks," said Dana, surprised at the attention. She read the woman's nametag, "Emily."

"No problem! I love the tennis," Emily confessed, grabbing two nearby menus and looking at them. "No smoking?" Two heads nodded in confirmation and she grinned then turned on her heels. "Follow me girls." She expertly wound them through the myriad of tables while speaking about their specials, "Our Crab Cioppino should be especially good today since the boys brought in some fresh ones earlier." She stopped at a snug table next to one of the larger windows that gave a perfect view of the wharf and the sun reflecting against it. When they settled into their seats she smiled widely again and handed them their menus. "I'll give you girls a few minutes. If you make up your minds before I come back, just give a yell."

"This place is really nice," said Dana, perching at the edge of her seat and leaning towards Alice. She smiled big and looked out over the wharf, enjoying the view of the water. "I wonder if the hotel looks nearly as good?"

"We could always stay here the night and find out," Alice replied, smiling when Dana looked at her with a baffled expression on her features.

"I thought you wanted to keep driving?" said Dana, recalling the blonde's excited rambling of an entire driving path for them. She had been trying on the white leather pants she had eventually chosen to buy and was sure that Alice said there were a few other places she wanted to drive to after stopping at Bodega Bay. "Isn't that what you said?"

"Yes, that's what I said," Alice laughed affectionately, reaching out for Dana's hands holding them in her own and pressing them to her lips for a soft kiss. "And as much as I love how you have this almost creepy ability to remember everything I say, Dane, we don't always have to follow it. If you want to see what the hotel here is like, lets stay. It's not a big deal. I mean," Alice tilted her head and lightly ran her fingertips against the palm of Dana's hand to trace a delicate path. "Staying here means we get to a bed faster, right? Isn't that a good thing?"

"It's a good thing," agreed Dana, shivering at the teasing caress. She moved forward and gently tugged her hand away to cup Alice's face in her hands. Moving closer so that there was barely a breath between them, she said in a low murmur, "But I think I would rather get back on that bike with you and ride some more."

"You like to feel that vibration between your legs, huh?" teased Alice, chuckling and capturing Dana's lips for a kiss. "I thought you would."

"You're a dirty girl," accused Dana as she unwillingly found herself blushing at the blonde's words but consciously deciding to recite the song she fondly recalled seeing Alice dance to at the start of their romance.

"Do you want to lay me down?" asked Alice playfully, kissing Dana again and winding her fingers into wavy brown hair, managing to fall a little bit more in love on hearing the athlete quoting Fisher to her. "Because I'm very pleased to meet you."

Smiling into the kiss and planning on deepening the next one to make the writer moan in that delightful way she often did, Dana murmured in husky tones, "But I won't ever say goodbye." 

When Emily returned five minutes later kissing was how she found them and kissing was how she found them five minutes after that and then three minutes after that. By which time she finally decided to fight against her romantic instincts and ask them for their orders. Though she was very pleased and relieved to note they returned to their kissing the moment she left. Something that helped ease the guilt of her true romantic at heart personality.

\---

Under the guise of wanting to continue to experience the road trip atmosphere, Alice and Dana found themselves renting a room at Jimmy Joe's Sleepaway Inn. While in actuality they were there because it was the first hotel Alice spotted from the highway. When she spotted it, Dana had been thoroughly occupied with the task of whispering some very sweet and seductive nothings into her ear despite the helmets they both wore. Again, it should be noted Dana knew perfectly well how much someone could hear while wearing one.

They were sweet nothings that Alice found herself returning in her own form of revenge as she pressed into Dana's back, hands resting firmly on her hips, serving to totally distract the athlete as she attempted to unlock their room. It was when Dana heard Alice throatily say what she planned on doing once she got the tennis player's white leather pants off that got the door opened at long last. Although she did bend the key in the process.

They fell into the room, Dana hastily tossing the key onto a precariously balanced and sadly three legged table then dropping their duffle bags to the floor. Forgetting her own pet peeves about such behavior thanks to the heat of Alice's kisses, intoxicating and fierce and god, everything Dana had ever thought she wanted. These kisses were the ones that she dreamed about as a confused fifteen year old before she knew for sure what her brief romance with Stephanie told her. That she loved women. She loved tasting them, she loved touching them, she loved smelling them, she loved everything about them. Dana was really that impossibly gay. But somewhere along the way, okay, six years one month and nineteen days along the way her dreams of this kiss changed into dreams of this kiss with Alice.

Now here she was, having that kiss with the woman she loved for what seemed like forever and even though the room they rented smelled disturbingly similar to the Morehouse Cream Style Horseradish her father liked to eat, Dana couldn't have been happier. Rising up on her tip toes and pressing eagerly into Alice, she cupped the blonde's face in her hands, grinning as she propelled them towards the bed.

That's when Alice broke away from the kiss with a gasp, chuckling when Dana fell forward and into her in an attempt to maintain contact between them. "The sheets," she managed to say before the tennis player met their lips for another kiss, causing her to moan low and deep, in the way Dana so loved. When she somehow managed to find the strength to pull away yet again, she said breathlessly, "We need to change the sheets. I love you, and me, way too much to have sex on the nasty sheets that Jimmy Joe has undoubtedly provided us with. No offense to Jimmy Joe, who three visible teeth or not, seems like a really stand up guy."

Groaning at this and starting to strangely resent Alice's newfound relationship with her mother and the personality traits she was picking up from it, Dana started to protest this painful pause in their romance when she saw the sheets on the bed. Making an automatic expression of disgust on seeing them, Dana sighed heavily.

"Fine," Dana muttered, backing away from Alice. "Change the sheets."

Chuckling at Dana's reaction and finding the pouting to be entirely endearing, Alice reached out to hook her fingers into the minute space between Dana's stomach and her white leather pants then tugged the brunette forward. The athlete moved towards her easily, tilting her body into Alice in an instinctive press though she was clearly irritated by the blonde's amusement. Her jaw clenched as she deliberately stared off to the other side of the room.

Resisting the urge to chuckle again and further upset Dana, an affectionate smile instead tugged at her lips as Alice thought about how Dana at heart really was such a girl. And it was true. Despite the butch label tagged to lesbians who were athletes there was no one Alice considered to be more adorably girly than Dana Fairbanks. It was one of the countless things Alice loved about her.

Murmuring in a husky drawl into Dana's ear, Alice said, "I just want the bed to be perfect for you, baby. That's all." Leading a path of kisses down Dana's jaw to then press onto the corners of lips that were already tugging up in a smile. "Don't you want everything to be perfect?"

Pulling her head back and dodging Alice's soft kisses in the process, Dana's brow furrowed and she said quietly, "Anyplace with you is perfect to me, Al."

"Dana," Alice breathed her name, hating that her eyes were tearing up and ruining her view of the athlete's features. Trying to lighten the mood, she grinned as Dana tenderly wiped away tears she hadn't realized were falling and said, "You're trying to distract me from changing the sheets, aren't you?"

"I am," revealed Dana solemnly, hugging Alice to her and tangling her fingers into messy blonde hair while rocking them side to side. "I SO am."

"Bad Dana!" declared Alice, squirming backwards to tap Dana rather fiercely on tip of her nose while she grinned naughtily. "No biscuit."

"No biscuit?" echoed Dana, her brow furrowing again. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know," mused Alice after a moment. "I just like how it sounds."

"Dork," Dana laughed softly, kissing Alice lightly. When she moved away, she pushed a lock of hair out of the blonde's eyes and said, "You change Jimmy Joe's nasty sheets and I'll try to get out of these pants." She said the last part wryly, gazing warily at the white leather pants that while comfortable were the epitome of tight fitting. "If I can."

"Oh, you better get out of those pants, Fairbanks," said Alice in mock threatening tones, shaking her fist at the other woman. "If you don't there will be hell to pay."

"Right," said Dana sardonically, reaching for the duffel bag she packed the sheets in and tossing it to Alice. "Get to work, my hotel beds paranoid paramour."

"I'm not paranoid!" Alice squeaked in protest, turning red in embarrassment. She scowled at the grin Dana formed and pointed at her as she ordered, "No teasing your paramour."

"Aye aye," Dana said, standing perfectly upright and saluting Alice.

"That's teasing," muttered Alice to herself, taking the nasty hotel sheets off and flinging them in the corner of the room. They landed with an audible thump, causing a nearby lamp that featured a Hawaiian girl hula dancing on it to tip back and forth as if it would fall off the rickety table on which it sat. Alice watched this as it happened and breathed a sigh of relief when it safely rocked to a stop. "Thank god," said Alice dryly, pulling the sheets they brought out of the duffle bag and putting them on the mattress. "I'd hate to have to pay the whole four dollars to replace that example of lighting monstrosity."

It was when Alice finished putting the sheets on the mattress that she heard a rather panicked hiss of a whisper sound in the air, "Al!"

Frowning a bit, Alice turned around to see Dana clad in her white bra and matching white leather pants crouched over in a position that was reminiscent of certain toilet activities with a pained look on her face to match. "Dana?" asked Alice, perplexed. "What are you doing?"

"I can't get my pants off!" Dana hissed, scowling.

"Why are you whispering?" asked Alice, still utterly perplexed. Walking over to Dana, who was now hopping around, trying her best to wriggle her way out of the pants tight fitting clutches.

"Just--" Dana did another hissing whisper but stopped on realizing she was indeed whispering. She then continued in a normal voice, sounding thoroughly frustrated, "Just help me!"

"You didn't put on the baby powder like I said, did you?" said Alice knowingly, chuckling as Dana kept hopping and futilely tugging at her leather pants.

"I thought you were being perverted," whined Dana, she hopped about some more and looked at Alice a little desperately. "Please help me get out of this evil fashion mistake?"

Shaking her head in bemusement, Alice reached out to hold Dana's fumbling hands busy trying to pry and wriggle her way out of the pants. Dana looked up at her, eyes wide and questioning and Alice smiled tenderly. Pulling Dana into a standing position, she led her over to the bed and gently pushed her down onto it. The athlete opened her mouth to speak, gaze still filled with confusion and Alice pressed an index finger against her lips to silence her.

"Let me take care of you," said Alice in a throaty drawl, forming a slow and seductive smile before she slid down Dana's body.

Releasing a shuddering breath and feeling painfully aroused by both Alice's words and her expression, Dana pressed her head into the pillow Alice had bought at some weird tourist spot and squeezed her eyes shut. It could have been seconds, it could have been hours, but with careful and sensual care, Alice got the white leather pants off of Dana.

Soft hands trailed up her legs and Alice murmured against the skin as she moved upwards, "No baby powder, just like I thought." She looked up at Dana and quirked her lips up in a tiny grin. "Bad Dana," Alice said, her voice low and husky, her brown eyes dark with desire.

"No biscuit?" asked Dana hoarsely.

Forming a smile and laughing into Dana's skin, Alice moved up to murmur against her lips, "Not this time, baby. You're getting something a lot better than a biscuit. I promise."

"Yay me," Dana breathed, her body trembling. 

"Yay both of us," Alice replied before seizing the brunette's lips in a deep kiss. The type that Dana had dreamed of as a teenager and the type she continued to dream of once she realized her feelings for the writer. It was a kiss endless in the passion it contained, fierce and gentle and so fucking detailed that it seemed to Dana it would never stop. That the kiss would go on and on forever which was what she wanted honestly. For their love to never have a stop and when Alice kissed her like this that's what she honestly thought. But the kiss did end, as it always did and Alice moved down her body, hands trailing down to easily remove her bra, the only remaining piece of clothing as her panties had been removed with the leather pants. Suddenly the blonde returned though, she straddled Dana's waist and shirked off her leather jacket, tossing it in the same corner where the discarded sheets rested. The thump causing the cheap hula dancing lamp to fall on the floor and the athlete's head to turn in that direction. Only to have her face held seconds later by Alice's hands and turned so she was now looking up at her. The writer's blonde hair was wild and disheveled, making her look impossibly sexy along with the slow smile curving on her features. "Dana," she purred, leaning down to put their faces a breath apart. "If it's okay… I want to try out that something new we talked about."

"That something…?" Dana murmured, frowning and trying to recall only to have her eyes go wide when she finally did. She swallowed visibly and felt her heart actually begin to beat faster as she said in a bare whisper, voice shaking, "Oh." Dana paused to swallow again then trying her level best to control her nerves, she murmured, "Okay." Looking around Alice to the duffle bags, she frowned. "You brought it along?"

"I got another at the store where we bought our pants," offered Alice, studying Dana's features closely. She frowned and cupped the athlete's face then slid down to press their bodies together in a comfortable embrace. Kissing the line of Dana's jaw, she said softly, "Don't agree to anything you don't want to do, baby. I just thought it would be fun to try it now." She looked up and met their eyes. "I don't want anything you don't want, this isn't about me or you, it's about us." Alice rose up and kissed Dana again, kissed her in that dream inspiring way she loved and when she did the brunette realized that when it came to Alice there was very little she didn't want to share. Including new experiences like the ones they had been discussing over the past two months. She wasn't the type of person to really go seeking out new sexual experiences, that wasn't who she was but Dana couldn't help but admit she found herself curious after Alice brought it up. And it only made sense to her because honestly, there was no one in this world she trusted more than the blonde. Dana knew absolutely no matter what happened, Alice would take care of her and Alice only wanted the best for her. And by that line of thought it was hard for her not to believe the writer when she said she thought Dana would honestly enjoy bringing a strap on into their sexual play. "Baby?" Alice's concerned voice echoed in her ears. "Are you all right? What do you want to do?"

"I want it," said Dana, low and fierce, her blue eyes darkening and her fingers tangling into Alice's hair to bring her close for a kiss. "I want you," she growled into Alice before kissing her hard and hot and wanting. There was just so much fucking want in the kiss that Alice could hardly believe it was real. That someone would want her that badly seemed nearly unreal but it was real, she knew it was because she was experiencing right here and now. "And I want you to fuck me wearing it," Dana muttered against her lips when they parted. Their eyes locked and her breath was hot and ragged against Alice's skin. "That's what I want, Al."

"Okay," Alice said, sounding as dazed as she looked on hearing these words and on feeling the depth of that desire focused on her. She moved away slightly and said nervously, gesturing over her shoulder to the duffle bags, "I just have to… you know…"

"Put it on, I know," chuckled Dana, amused that somehow Alice had become the one that was feeling anxious. Unwilling to let that go on for too long, she tugged the blonde down to her by gripping the front of her black tank top. Lifting herself up to give Alice a clinging kiss which was slow and sweet, she murmured, "Hurry back."

"Okay," Alice said again to then roll off the bed with a thump. Cursing under her breath while trying to ignore the sound of Dana's girly giggles. She quickly crawled over to the duffle bags and searched through them almost frantically to find what she was looking for. With a triumphant whoop, she located the dildo that was pretty much an exact replica of the one at home. Both realistic looking in color, shape, and at a fairly tame size of six inches. Something that would be reduced even more when placed firmly in the harness which Alice was busy searching for. Now the harness was entirely different, like the sales girl said, it was sturdy but not made for skin on skin contact. Meaning the best time to wear this harness would be wearing the black leather pants Alice was currently sporting. Hastily untying her shoes and kicking them off along with her socks, because for some reason it felt wrong to have sex with her shoes and socks on in this situation, the blonde jumped to her feet and kept her back to Dana. For some strange reason she was feeling really nervous about this and she just didn’t want to watch Dana watching her putting on the dildo. Once she had the harness and the dildo firmly in place and was sure everything was where it should be and it was covered in the right amount of needed lube, she found herself imitating the tennis player and swallowing a lump in her throat. "Okay," she said once more. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Dana's reply sounded and her voice was thankfully missing the teasing Alice expected, instead it was like her own. Anxious but filled with so much want and desire and overwhelming trust. And when Alice turned around to face the athlete, that's what she saw. Moving towards her and sinking down onto the bed, crawling hands and feet towards Dana and hovering over her, she smiled softly and sighed at the feel of the brunette tangling her fingers in her hair and meeting their lips for a kiss, murmuring into her, "I love you."

"I love you too, baby," Alice said, her voice thick with emotion. "I love you so much."

She then deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue into Dana's mouth, sucking on it long and hard and continuous, tasting everything the brunette had and wanting more. Her hands sliding over tanned skin in a knowing exploration, touching and feeling and stroking until Dana's body was humming with desire and she was arching eagerly into every caress whether it be teasing or firm and knowing, wanting all that Alice was giving to her but needing more. Needing what they had talked about for all these months, what she had agreed to just moments ago. 

"Fuck me," Dana rasped, pulling her lips away from the blonde's, her blue eyes dark and pleading. "I want you to fuck me." Reaching down more out of instinct than any type of real knowledge since Dana had never done anything more than kiss men and not very well at that, she grabbed the dildo and led it towards her pussy. Though she found herself unable to make that first move to slip it inside, somehow she needed Alice to do that for her. Sliding her hands forward to cup the sides of the writer's neck, she smoothly rose up to murmur against her lips in a kiss, "Please, Al. I want that."

"Dana," said Alice almost brokenly, crushing her lips against the athlete's and kissing her powerfully. One hand buried in wavy brown locks to hold her steady while the other reached down to carefully guide the dildo into Dana, kissing her harder and deeper when she finally did slide in, absorbing the moan of pleasure the other woman released and crying from relief on feeling it. Wanting so badly for Dana to enjoy this, to love this, to make her feel everything she hoped for with this experience. When they finally parted, she rested their foreheads together and looked into Dana's eyes and said with a slight pant, "Are you okay?" 

"I didn't know it would feel like this," muttered Dana through a moan, closing and opening her eyes, fingers still tangled in Alice's messy blonde hair. She laughed a little at herself and said in self deprecating tones, "But why would I know, right?"

"Right," Alice chuckled though her face was lined with concern. She carefully pushed a lock of hair from Dana's eyes and said, "Does it feel good? Because if it doesn't we--"

"It feels great," interrupted Dana, she thrust her hips up and into Alice, groaning as the dildo slid further inside of her at the motion. She pried her eyes open with some effort and reiterated in strong tones, "You feel great. Now please, Al," she murmured in devastatingly seductive tones. "Would you just fuck me already?"

"Don't have to tell me five times," drawled Alice playfully, noting the number of times the tennis player had stated that particular request in the evening. Smiling into Dana and meeting her lips for another kiss, she brought one hand up to cup the side of her face and the other down to rest firm against her hip. Then she began a slow rhythm of thrusts, arching up and into the brunette, pushing further inside only to pull out almost to the tip and thrust in again. Only to increase the pace when she felt Dana moan and buck into her, obviously wanting more. That was when the thrusts became hard and fierce and her other hand moved up and she entwined her fingers with the athlete's, pressing them up and into the bed. Parting from their hot kisses and muttering through gasping breaths, "Are you close? How does it feel, baby?"

"Really close," Dana said raggedly, groaning as Alice thrust particularly deep and arching into the writer while squeezing her hands tightly. "I told you… it feels great." She forced her eyes open and chuckled, freeing a hand to tangle in messy blonde locks and bring Alice to her for a kiss. "Stop asking me that."

"Sorry," said Alice wryly, moaning just seconds later when the tennis player bucked up into her and created a delightful grind of friction. "God, Dana," she groaned and thrust forward, arching hard and fast into the other woman.

The orgasm came suddenly and it took them both by surprise, not only Dana but Alice who soon followed. And when it was over, they lay tangled together, a jumble of arms and legs, with Alice still wearing the strap on and it still inside of Dana, they were almost tired enough to just fall asleep. But that was when a series of loud bangs sounded against the wall, shaking it and causing cheap plaster to fall down on their heads.

"KEEP IT FUCKIN' DOWN, WILL YA?! SOME PEOPLE CAN'T FUCK WHILE HEARIN' YOU FUCK! HAVE SOME FUCKIN' RESPECT!"

For a few seconds they remained silent then they burst into hysterical laughter which only increased when Dana confessed that only made her want to have sex even louder next time. Something that did occur, once they managed to get the strap on and leather pants off Alice.

Much to the irritation of their hotel neighbors.

\---

Dana was someone used to waiting. She spent almost her entire adult life in a type of perpetual stasis. Waiting to figure out she was gay, waiting to find the courage to come out, waiting to tell Alice she loved her, and now she was waiting for Gabby to end this game she was playing. Waiting for her to forget Alice and waiting for her to stop integrating herself into the blonde's life. Each day that passed Gabby's presence seemed to be increasing, she called Alice more, showed up at the apartment to hang out, and phoned into her radio show.

She knew what Shane said to her a month ago during their talk was true but Dana couldn't take it anymore. To keep standing idly by and wait was killing her because it was the same horrible inaction that had ruled most of her life. For almost her entire adult life Dana had waited for things to happen rather than make them happen herself and because of that she nearly lost everything she ever wanted. Her dreams of being out and accepted by her family, of being loved by Alice and loving her in return, they almost slipped past her because she waited.

Waiting just wasn't working anymore for Dana. It was driving her slowly insane, seeing Alice with Gabby when she knew what the brunette was up to. That she wanted Alice back, that she wanted to take Alice away from her.

Though she loathed the mere idea of thinking of Alice as a possession Dana couldn't help but feel that way just because she wanted to hang onto the writer in that manner. She wanted Alice to always be with her like an object could, she wanted that safety and reassurance to know that unless someone stole Alice away she would never leave Dana. But Alice wasn't an object, the athlete knew that all too well and she didn't want her to be an object, not really. At the same time, she was just so very scared that Gabby would do what she had done so many times before and suddenly Dana would find Alice gone.

What Dana told Shane had been the absolute truth. She couldn't survive without Alice in her life. For years she loved the writer and wanted nothing more than to be with her in the way she was now. And for years she sat by and watched Gabby fucking Deveaux come in like she was doing now. Come in with sweet words, causing Alice to fall into her arms and forget all the pain she had caused, then she watched as Gabby broke Alice's heart yet again.

She watched this happen too many times to count. 

Over and over, she stood by and watched as this happened. But no more. Dana was done watching and she was done waiting. That's why when Alice told her she wanted to cancel their dinner plans to spend time with Gabby, who was feigning heartbreak over her romance with Lara ending, Dana said something.

"I don't want you to go," said Dana tones that were hushed and severe enough that they gave Alice a start, making her look back at the athlete in confusion.

"Huh?" Alice said, pausing in arranging her purse. She released her hold on it, leaving it to sit on the table in her hallway and looked to Dana who stood stiff like a statue in the middle of the living room. "What did you say?"

Gathering up her courage, Dana turned to face Alice and repeated her words in a way that was very close to pleading, "I don't want you to go."

"Dana?" said Alice worriedly, abandoning her purse and thoughts of going anywhere and quickly walking over to the tennis player. She ran her hands up then down Dana's arms in a comforting caress and ducked her head to meet their eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want you to go," Dana repeated again, swallowing the lump in her throat and keeping her gaze away from the writer's. Afraid that if she looked at her she might not be able to do this because of the hurt she knew would instantly appear at her words. The same hurt that was responsible for her sitting by to wait and watch for such a very long time because she didn't want to see it appear and she especially didn't want to be the cause of it. But she didn't have a choice anymore. The situation was becoming too much for her and the fear of losing Alice was starting to take over her life completely. "I don't want you seeing Gabby today, Al." She paused to laugh caustically and muttered, "I don't want you to see her ever."

"Dana?" Alice murmured in confusion, frowning deeply. "What is this about?"

Sighing deeply and wondering how Alice could be so perceptive yet so dense at the same time, Dana decided she didn't really have a choice in this. She couldn't be how she wanted to, she couldn't be meek and hesitant, hoping such behavior would make Alice be a little less angry at her. That it would stop the blonde from blaming her and feeling resentment for what she was about to say. That wasn't going to work and it was better for her to simply speak her mind and hope their love was as strong as she thought it to be.

Lifting her head, Dana met their eyes in an unrelenting gaze. "I don't want you to go see Gabby," she stated plainly. "I don't trust her, Al. I know you want to think the best about people, even someone like her but she's…" Trailing off and losing her steam as she continued to gaze at Alice's perplexed but sincerely worried features, Dana bit her lip and looked off to one side.

"She's what?" asked Alice a little warily. No reply came from the athlete and becoming more concerned by the second, Alice stepped closer to cup Dana's chin and gently move her face so their gazes locked. Stroking tanned skin in a tender and loving gesture, Alice searched Dana's features and murmured, "Please tell me what's wrong."

"She's trying to do it again, Al," said Dana in a bare whisper, losing her strength as she always did on looking into Alice's eyes filled with so much love for her.

"Trying to do what?" Alice pursued, moving with Dana who averted her gaze. Holding Dana's face in a gentle hold as she pressed on, "Dana? Tell me what's going on here. You're starting to scare me."

"Gabby always does this with you," said Dana, losing her control. Her voice cracking on recalling all those times before when Gabby only had to make an appearance and the slightest meager effort to cause Alice to end good relationships with people who clearly cared for her. She thought she was different but how could she really know that for certain? Alice said she wouldn't leave her like that but as much as Dana loved Alice, she heard her say things like that before. So many times she said that she wouldn't go back to Gabby but in the end she always did. And Alice even acknowledged she was being foolish each time she did it but still, she did it anyway. How could Dana really think she was that different? That special that out of countless people over the years she was the one able to break Gabby fucking Deveaux's weird hold on Alice? God help her, Dana didn't believe it but she wanted desperately for it to be true. She needed it like she breathed, in fact. "As soon as you're happy with someone she does this," murmured Dana after several moments of tense silence. Alice opened her mouth to respond but the athlete continued on in broken tones, cutting her off as she said, "She tells you she made a mistake, that you're the only person who understands her, that puts up with her being such a fucking bitch, and if you just give her one more chance she'll prove she's changed." Dana looked up, meeting Alice's gaze with wide blue eyes that begged for understanding. "But she never changes, Al. She never changes and you get your heart broken and the person who was with you when Gabby came back they've…" Dana trailed off again, squeezing her eyes shut, then saying so quietly Alice had to strain to hear the words, "They've lost you."

"Is that what you think?" asked Alice, horrified at the thought of Dana living with this constant fear eating away at her. Irrational as she found it or not, it was still such a truly awful thing to deal with. "Oh, baby," Alice breathed, cupping Dana's face in her hands and trying to look into the brunette's eyes who averted her gaze. "I wouldn't do that to you, I couldn't. Look at me Dana," she murmured plaintively, her voice thick with emotion. When blue eyes slowly lifted to meet hers, the blonde swallowed visibly then said in an urgent whisper, "I love you. I love you too much to even think of doing that." Alice searched Dana's features and seeing that same horrible fear lurking there, she darted forward to kiss the tennis player fiercely. When they parted after several moments, she gasped against Dana's lips, their foreheads resting together and faces centimeters apart. "I need you as much as you need me." Alice stroked the athlete's cheek and pushed a stray lock of hair from her eyes. "The others, they were…" She sighed, not wanting to say what she was thinking because it seemed mean and she hated saying mean things. Especially about nice people, which is what most of her dates tended to be.

"They were what?" asked Dana quietly, needing to know what Alice was thinking.

"They weren't you," said Alice, soft and sincere, holding Dana's face in a gentle caress. "They weren't you," Alice repeated, putting heartfelt emphasis on the last word, pleading with Dana to truly hear her. "I've never felt for anyone what I feel for you."

Silence and Dana absorbed this as she ducked her gaze. Hating herself for what she was about to say but unable to resist the compulsion as she whispered, "Even Gabby?"

"Even Gabby," said Alice, chuckling affectionately and stroking tanned features as the athlete formed a tiny smile at her words. Her arms wound around Dana's neck, she curled her fingers into wavy brown hair, pulling the other woman forward, their lips a breath apart, voice echoing with desire and love as she murmured, "There's no one but you. No one, Dana."

"Al," Dana exhaled her name shakily, the smile on her face appearing in her eyes for the first time in days. Her hands fell to the blonde's waist as she slipped her hands into the back pockets of Alice's jeans and pulled her forward so their bodies were pressed together, no hint of space between them. "You're the only one for me." Ducking her head to capture Alice's lips in a slow and sensual kiss, she muttered low in her throat, "I love you so much."

They continued to kiss, long and lazy, until the distinctive sound of Alice's cell phone rang in the air. Parting with groans from them both, they stared at the front of the writer's jeans where the ringing was emanating from. Then Alice lifted her gaze to lock with Dana's who looked at her with guileless and expectant eyes that were filled with complete trust. "Ignore it," Alice husked, pressing against Dana and moving to capture her lips in another kiss. 

Retreating slightly and ducking Alice's attempted kiss, Dana pulled her hands from the back pockets of the blonde's jeans. Smiling soft and understanding at the look of obvious confusion on Alice's features, she said quietly, "It's all right." Then she slipped her hand inside of Alice's front jean pocket and pulled out the still ringing cell phone and holding it up for the writer to answer in such a way that they both clearly saw exactly who was calling her. "Go and talk to her. She probably won't stop calling until you do."

"Dana?" asked Alice, frowning and ignoring the ringing cell phone as she searched the athlete's features, trying to comprehend what was happening here. Didn't they just spend the last few minutes talking about how Dana didn't trust Gabby? "I don't understand… I thought you didn't want me to see her anymore."

"I don't trust her," replied Dana in a quiet murmur, pressing the cell phone into Alice's hands and squeezing them in a sign of reassurance. "But I trust you, Al."

"Dana," Alice said her name like it was a prayer and paused once more to search the tennis player's tanned features, finding nothing but the same calm and steady support she had come to expect from the other woman. A blinding smile broke out on her features and she darted forward to seize Dana's lips in a short but passionate kiss, murmuring into her, "I love you."

And then she pulled away, answering her cell phone as she wandered into the living room, aware of the comforting weight of Dana's gaze on her as she did so. Completely unaware of the silent battle of wills that was going on in the other woman's mind and heart. The only thing that Dana knew for certain was if she wanted to really know what was Gabby was up to there was only one person who could give her the answers.

Which is why moments later she was planning to visit Lara.

\---

Tori Amos was the chosen music of Gabby Deveaux when she was in a bad mood. This was something Alice discovered fairly early on when the first began dating. The screenwriter had gone through a particularly bad bout of rejections involving her screenplay about lesbian lumberjacks and the result was Alice hearing Boys For Pele nonstop for a week. 

When Alice walked up to Gabby's apartment door and heard the distinct sound of Tori Amos from behind the heavy wooden door she knew this wasn't just another one of the brunette's bullshit sessions. She was actually as broken up about this as she sounded over the phone. Something that made her wince and wonder why the hell she couldn't get this reaction?

She doubted very much that Tori ever got pulled out when they broke up for the first, second, or even eleventh time. Why was it that their relationship seemed to matter so much more to her than to Gabby? And what the hell did Lara Perkins have over on her anyway? Though Alice was head over heels in love with Dana she couldn't help but feel a little bitter.

There was just so much history between her and Gabby. She had been with her nearly as long as she had been friends with Dana and just like Dana there was something about Gabby that pulled at her from the start. Try as she might, Alice couldn't let go of the screenwriter because no matter how big of a bitch she really could be Alice honestly felt that Gabby truly did understand her. That she knew where her fears and insecurities came from.

And that was something very rare for Alice indeed.

The problem was that while Gabby understood her she didn't appear to care about her. But that understanding just called out to Alice again and again because for most of her life it was lacking… people knew her, people liked her, some people even loved her but people who understood her? Who knew why she didn't trust relationships to last? Who could tell when she was pretending to be happy when she sometimes just wasn't, not by the smallest amount? They were not exactly existing in large numbers. In fact, there was only two of them to count and one was behind the door she was staring at and the other was in her apartment.

Sighing deeply and lifting up her hand, Alice knocked on Gabby's door in a loud and criss cross pattern as she called out, "Open up! I can hear Tori singing about raspberries from out here."

Pulling the door open, Gabby leaned in her doorway and lifted an eyebrow. "You're loud," she stated plainly. "And Tori isn't singing about raspberries, she's singing about orgasms."

"Why do orgasms have be constantly referred to in metaphor form in song and literature?" Alice mused, walking inside and turning to face Gabby who was closing the door. "Don't you think it would be easier to just talk about them in simple context?"

"Metaphors are simple," said Gabby in droll tones, moving past Alice and reaching back to grab her hand to pull her along with her. They moved into the living room where they both flopped down onto Gabby's couch rather unceremoniously. "They're simply the most overused cliche ridden piece of crap in modern writing or otherwise." 

"I guess," said Alice with a shrug, grinning a little on hearing the screenwriter speak about one of her constant foibles involving literature. There was probably nothing that Gabby hated to read more than badly written sex metaphors. Which is why Alice found it so strange she loved this song by Tori which was nothing but a sex metaphor. Maybe it was just because it was Tori that it was deemed as okay. She didn't know really but she found it fun to bring the subject up again and again and again. Reaching out to tug on the collar to Gabby's white shirt, she murmured teasingly, "Weren't you wearing this yesterday?"

"No," Gabby said, whapping at Alice's hand and scowling slightly. "I was wearing a different white shirt and you know it, so stop trying to be cute."

"Trying?" scoffed Alice low in her throat, kicking off her shoes and putting her feet up on the couch. Pulling her legs to her chest, she rested her chin on her knees and grinned impishly at the other woman. "Please," she drawled. "I don't have to try to be cute, I was born that way."

"You were born with no hair and a big butt, Lenore showed me the picture," said Gabby sardonically, sliding down her couch and poking Alice her right foot that was clad in a red and white striped sock that didn't match the polka dotted black and purple sock on her left foot.

"And where does it say that's not cute?" asked Alice smartly. She grabbed the big toe on Gabby's right foot as the brunette rested her right leg on the knee to her left leg, wagging her foot in front of Alice in the process. Rocking the foot slightly back and forth, she studied the other woman's features closely and murmured, "How are you doing?"

"Tori is on repeat," Gabby replied dryly, dropping her head back on the couch and staring up at her ceiling. "What do you think?"

"Not good," said Alice soft and genuine in her concern. Something that Gabby noticed and couldn't help feeling a little triumphant about. Concern meant care and care meant feeling and feeling meant love and Gabby knew… she knew this was it for them. Fourteen times was the final number. When she had Alice back it would be for good, it would be to last. "Do you want to tell me what happened with Lara?"

Silence except for the sound of a girl and her piano then Gabby murmured, sounding almost defeated, "She said I wasn't there with her. That I wasn't really a part of the relationship in the same way that she was, in the same way she wanted."

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Alice, frustrated.

Chuckling at this, Gabby tilted her head to peer at the blonde. "I'm the one who got dumped and you're getting pissy?" she drew out in humorous tones. "How does that work exactly?"

"Shut up," said Alice, scowling playfully and poking Gabby's foot before tickling it and grinning at the yelp the brunette released. "You're a wuss, you know that? You're not even ticklish and you freak out when people touch your feet."

"Feet are nasty," Gabby declared, lowering hers and tucking them underneath a couch cushion to protect them from Alice. "And you shouldn't go around touching them. Even if they're my feet which are inherently superior to most lesbian feet because of my overwhelming hotness."

"Right," said Alice dryly, wearing a skeptical expression. She kept their gazes locked for a long moment then smiled softly then murmured, "You want to tell me what Lara meant? You have to know I'm aware that you're avoiding the question."

Meeting Alice's gaze and returning the smile, Gabby rolled her eyes in a gesture of defeat, causing the blonde to chuckle in amusement. Pulling a pillow off the back of her couch to rest it over her eyes, Gabby replied, "She said she went through this once already. Dating someone and falling for them when she knew they weren't really dating and falling for her in return. That's why she said she had to end it with me. Because I wasn't really there with her."

"That's wonderfully vague," remarked Alice in deadpan tones that reflected a good deal of disdain. "And it leaves me once again with the question, what the hell did Lara mean by that?"

Silence again except for the same girl and her piano playing quietly in the background then Gabby, her eyes still covered in a pillow stated soft and solemn, "She meant that I'm in love with somebody else and she didn't want to deal with it anymore."

"What?!" Alice squeaked in disbelief. She scrambled forward, flinging the pillow off of Gabby's eyes to meet the rather lethargic looking sky blue gaze that peered lazily up at her, acting as if she hadn't just dropped a huge conversation bomb. "What did you say?"

"You need a hearing aid, don't you, grandma?" asked Gabby, a smirk slowly tugging at her lips. "Because you just aren't hearing a thing I'm saying today."

"Don't call me grandma! If I'm a grandma then you're a grandma," Alice protested huffily, resting back to sit on Gabby's midsection and stare down at the other woman. She poked the brunette in the side and said, "You're a year older than me, don't forget."

"I haven't forgotten," said Gabby, squirming under Alice reaching for the pillow she had flung onto the floor. Only to scowl when the blonde whapped it out of her hands to send it right back where it had been resting. Turning to look at the writer, she demanded, "What the fuck, Alice?"

"You always use your stupid arsenal of pillows as some sort of physical representation of an emotional shield during heavy conversations and it annoys me," declared Alice, staring Gabby down hard. "It always has and I'm not going to let you do it right now. I want to know what is this about you being in love with someone who isn't perkily perfect Lara Perkins."

"Perkily perfect Lara Perkins," Gabby echoed, her eyes glowing with amusement. Alice didn't take the bait though and simply continued to stare the brunette down, causing Gabby to sigh heavily then avert her eyes to stare at the couch cushions, looking very much like she wanted to pull one over her eyes if Alice would allow it. But they both knew the blonde wouldn't and instead she stared at it for a long while before she swallowed the lump in her throat. She hated this, being nervous and having fucking butterflies or moths or some asshole bug in her stomach making her feel sick. And she hated that Alice knew what she did with pillows and chose today to point out she was aware of this habit of Gabby's. Staring hard at her couch cushions and counting the threads in the light tan material, she muttered, "She was right. I'm not in love with her. For awhile I thought I was because she was good to me, you know? People would go up to her and talk shit with me right there and she just blew them off. No one has done that." Gabby smirked and flicked her eyes up to Alice who was gazing down at her, face lined with concern. "Well," she drawled with a chuckle. "No one besides you."

"Gabby," whispered Alice, unsure of what to say or how to comfort the other woman but wanting so very badly to do so. Shocked that Gabby was doing this, that she was showing her for the first time what she was really and truly feeling.

"It wasn't real though," Gabby continued, focusing her stare back on the couch cushions because she wasn't sure she could look at Alice and say this. It was hard enough to do this, to be so goddamn lame and cheesy and like a literary cliche nearly as stupid as metaphors about orgasms. She hated being like this but she couldn't help being like this. Somehow once she figured out Alice was the only one for her she couldn't turn it off, these annoying and troublesome and just fucking pain in the ass feelings that went against every sarcastic asshole tendency she thought made up who she was. She couldn't turn them off and she couldn't stop herself from telling Alice this but she could keep her eyes locked on the ugly brown cushions of her couch when she did so. "I wanted to love her because you're right, you know. She's kind of perfect and I thought she's so good to me… I should love her. I tried to love her, Alice." Giving a caustic and almost disbelieving laugh, Gabby continued, "I fucking tried so hard to love her and maybe I did. But it wasn't that stupid Harlequin romance way that Lara and all girls, no matter how fucking tough they act, secretly want and she knew that."

Again there was silence except for the girl and her piano and Gabby tried to concentrate on Tori's voice, soothing and washing over them. She tried to focus on her voice when she felt Alice's hands cupping her face, she tried to hear only it when she looked into wide questioning brown eyes, she tried and tried and tried but she couldn't. Because there was only Alice in this moment for Gabby. Only Alice that she saw, only Alice that she heard, only Alice…

Only Alice that she loved.

"It's fucking you," Gabby confessed wryly, swallowing deeply and her eyes darting over Alice's features that reflected such incredible surprise, she would've laughed at it if she didn't feel like she was about to die. Her hand lifting and hating the fact she felt and saw it fucking shaking, Gabby pushed a lock of blonde hair behind Alice's ear then stroked her cheek lightly. "I figured it out finally," she muttered in self deprecating tones. "You're the girl that turns me into one of the lame asses I'm always making fun of, Alice." Chuckling and cupping Alice's chin, she murmured, "You've turned me into Danielle Steele."

"Gabby," Alice breathed more than said her name, her eyes darting nervously over Gabby's features, unsure of what to say and unable to grasp exactly what had just been said.

For years she had wanted this. To hear that Gabby loved her, that Gabby wanted her. It was all that she ever dreamed of because the brunette was one of those two precious people she knew that truly understood her. That Gabby knew who she really was and she kept coming back to Alice. She kept wanting to be with her. No matter how many times they broke up, that's what would stick with Alice. The fact that Gabby came back… again and again she came back to Alice when she knew so many things about her.

When she knew about how when Tayo cheated on her she stared at a knife and a bottle of Jack Daniels and contemplated. When she knew about how she analyzed and poured over minute conversations with her friends to figure out if they knew she was joking or they genuinely got their feelings hurt thanks to her words. When she knew about how the way she didn't trust anyone, not really, and not right away. When she knew it took years and years to gain that. When she knew Alice trusted her and she threw that away by cheating on her.

That's what Alice was thinking and Gabby could see it playing out on her face, she could see the blonde about to give some bastardized form of the 'it's not you it's me' rejection that would no doubt be kind but still have the same effect. It would break her heart and Gabby had enough of tortured ass girly emotions for a lifetime to let that happen.

Which is why she rose up to capture Alice's mouth in a fierce kiss, pushing her tongue past pink lips and sucking on the blonde's tongue, slow and delicious. Threading her fingers into short and messy locks, swallowing the low moans of pleasure and smiling on feeling them. She kissed Alice over and over, she kissed her long and hard and desperate, she kissed her with a depth of emotion and conviction she didn't even knew she fucking had. Gabby kissed her like that until she couldn't kiss her anymore because Alice pushed her away.

Pushed her into the cushions of the couch, among her collection of pillows, leaving Gabby breathing heavily and watching while Alice thumped to the ground. Scurrying to her feet and exiting the apartment without a word or a glimpse backwards, leaving her shoes behind. 

And again it was silent except for a girl and her piano.

\---

What Lara wanted in life was fairly simple. Hell, what she loved in life was fairly simple. She loved her parents, she loved her friends, she loved cooking, she loved cooking things people enjoyed eating, she loved making people happy, and for years now it seemed to Lara that she loved women who didn't love her. Oh, she wasn't saying that they didn't love her at all. They did, she knew that, but it wasn't like she loved them.

They loved her because of what she was. She was kind, she was understanding, she was empathic, she was honest, and yes, she was pretty. Because of these things they loved what Lara was but never who.

There had been so many women. Dana and Gabby were the most recent but they were hardly the first and definitely not the only. The first was Annie O'Connor in high school who Lara loved desperately but was nothing more than a temporary distraction from her boyfriend as she was bitterly jealous regarding his constant cheating. Gabby often spoke of her friends and their protectiveness of her. Saying they were in love with her or at the very least had crushes on her but Lara knew that wasn't true. They loved her, yes, and that's why they were protective. 

Because they saw it happen so often. Lara falling in love with women who just didn't love her. They wanted to love her, they convinced themselves they loved her, but they didn't, not really. And Lara knew they didn't.

Each and every time, she knew it was happening and each and every time she hoped she was wrong. That they would see more than her pretty face, that they would hear more than her kind words, that they would feel more than her ardent kisses. She wanted someone to know her, to really and truly know her for the first time and love her despite it. To see more than her surface, to see she was more than a nice smile and a sweet voice.

Lara wasn't someone who hated needlessly. She didn't even dislike needlessly, in fact. It wasted so much time and expended so much energy. Live and let live was her belief in life, if people treated her well or decently she tried to do the same in return.

That didn't change how slowly but surely she had come to resent Alice Pieszecki. Not hate, not dislike, but resent. Yes, Lara definitely resented Alice. Resented her for somehow managing to get not only Dana but Gabby to see her, to know her. To see and know all her faults, all her problems, all her fears, and love her anyway.

Not only love her anyway but love her completely, love her passionately, enough that Lara could feel it. She could fucking feel Alice's presence in her relationships with Dana and Gabby. Could feel her lurking in between them with first Dana and now with Gabby.

Gabby.

She didn't expect it, not like with Dana. When she began dating Dana she knew there was someone, something, she could just tell. Then when she saw Dana with Alice, she knew that's what it was. That Dana loved Alice, was in love with her but was afraid to say anything and she foolishly thought she could make the athlete forget her. Needless to say, it didn't work.

They were friends now and Lara was glad. She loved Dana, sure, but only as a friend. But Gabby… she knew about her and Alice. Though she hated gossip and she wasn't one to spend a lot of time integrating herself in the gay and lesbian "scene" as it were, she knew about them. It was hard NOT to know about Alice and Gabby and their on and off romance. Their very public break ups and make ups were practically legendary in the West Hollywood community. She never thought Gabby was in love with Alice though. The brunette scoffed about her relationship with the blonde, likening their attachment to each other to having an addiction to some new chic club drug that Lara had never heard of.

And so she trusted Gabby. Despite the warnings about her player tendencies and the way she broke the hearts of women over and over, she trusted her. She trusted her because in the end the only thing that Lara feared was Alice and that she would have the same invisible hold on Gabby's heart as she did on Dana's. But Gabby swore that wasn't the case and Lara believed her, Lara trusted her, and Lara began falling in love with her.

Until she realized Gabby didn't love her.

It was like some twisted joke and Lara wanted to scream. She wanted to scream and break things, she wanted to curse the world, and most of all she wanted to hate Alice Pieszecki.

But she couldn't. After all, it wasn't really Alice's fault. Certainly it wasn't like she was maliciously plotting against Lara. Making the women that the chef loved only be able to love her. To even think such a thing was ridiculous. Though that's how Lara felt and she hated herself for that. Really and truly she did, she was taught by her parents not to be petty. That holding things against others when you knew the person couldn't help it would only come back to hurt you in the end and so she tried to live by that ideal.

No matter how very difficult that was at times.

Cooking made her feel better though, it relaxed her. That's why she was cooking and drinking her favorite red wine when her doorbell rang in several sharp intervals. Downing the wine and wandering to the door, holding the near empty glass in hand, Lara opened it to blink at Dana before turning around to leave the door open for the tennis player to walk through.

"Dana," said Lara, heaving a sigh and setting her glass of wine down with a clink. She studied her row of cheese blocks and contemplated which ones to try mixing for the ravioli she was making. Ricotta, Parmesan, and Fontina. Yes, that sounded good. "Let me guess, you're here to talk about Alice."

"You cut your hair," said Dana, frowning and shutting Lara's door as she tried to get used to the short bob the redhead was sporting.

"I needed a change," replied Lara in offhand tones, moving to put the cheese she wasn't using back into the refrigerator. "Are you here to talk about Alice or not?"

"Alice and Gabby," said Dana, following her into the kitchen.

"Surprising," said Lara in dry tones that didn't at all suit her personality, at least that's how Dana felt. She drank the last of her wine and lifted an eyebrow at the brunette, looking over her shoulder at her. "Why is it everyone wants to talk to me about Alice?" Setting the empty glass down, she murmured, "I doubt that anyone talks to her about me."

"Lara?" Dana said her name softly, her frown deepening and suspecting this is how Alice felt earlier that day during their conversation about Gabby. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," said Lara, sighing again and shredding the cheese into her large wooden bowl. "What did you want to talk about? Something involving Gabby? Our break up, I'm guessing again." She set down the block of Parmesan cheese and picked up the block of Ricotta to shred it. "I thought you'd be happy. You hate Gabby fucking Deveaux, don't you?"

"Of course I hate her," said Dana incredulously, stepping forward to press a gentle hand to the small of Lara's back. "I hate that she's hurt you like this."

"Do you?" Lara whispered, her head dropping and her hands stilling. She released her hold on the block of Ricotta cheese and the grater and gripped the counter as she continued in a hushed murmur, "You did the same thing she did, Dana. Maybe you didn't mean to but neither did Gabby. It isn't her fault just like it wasn't yours." Lara laughed hollowly and continued, "I guess it isn't anyone's fault. Not even Alice's."

"Lara?" Dana echoed again, her voice laced with confusion.

"Gabby is in love with Alice, the same as you," said Lara, looking over her shoulder again and smiling sadly at Dana. She turned and leaned back against the counter, arms folding over her chest in a gesture of protection. "You're both in love with the same woman and for whatever reason, fate decided to make me lucky enough to be dating you both when you realized it."

"No," said Dana in a dark intonation, her features almost frightening in their ferocity. "Gabby doesn't love Alice. She's hurt Alice too many times to even think she loves her. Gabby wants Alice, she's always wanted her, but she doesn't love her." Dana's eyes narrowed and she uttered in a halfway decent growl, "Don't you ever say that."

"I'll say whatever I want, Dana," snapped Lara, responding to the athlete's anger and rediscovering her own in the process. Her anger at loving this woman in front of her, in loving Gabby, and never truly being loved in return. "And I'm saying that, yes, Gabby fucking Deveaux loves Alice Pieszecki. She probably has for years and never realized it."

"She told you that?" asked Dana, slightly demanding now.

"She didn't have to," Lara replied, her tones rather jeering as she reached for the wine and poured more into her glass. Feeling that she really did need it at the moment. Taking a slow drink, she peered at Dana, locking their eyes as the liquid slid sweetly down her throat. Calmed by the pause in their conversation, she returned to grating cheese and murmured, "I could tell with her just like I could tell with you. Alice was there between Gabby and I, the same as she was with us, Dana. That's why I ended things with her and that's why I would have eventually ended things with you." Releasing a laugh, sad and wry in its humor, Lara reflected, "That's why I've ended most of my relationships, I think."

Hating herself for the pain that she clearly caused, back then and right now, Dana stepped closer and began, "Lara--"

"Go home, Dana," interrupted Lara, her voice laced with the tears that the redhead was trying so very hard to keep from falling. "Alice went to see Gabby, didn’t she?"

"She did," said Dana, swallowing the lump that suddenly appeared in her throat and filled instantly with horrible and all encompassing fear. "I told her it was okay because I trust her."

"Gabby has probably told Alice she loves her," Lara whispered, her head bowed and even though she couldn't see pale features, Dana just knew that the chef was crying. "You should be home when she gets back. She'll need to talk to you."

"Lara--" Dana tried again, her eyes tearing up because of the pain that she knew the other woman was in. Wanting so badly to take it away but at the same time needing to be back at the apartment, needing to be there for Alice like Lara said she should be.

"Go home, Dana," repeated Lara brokenly. She paused and there was a gasp of air and then she gripped the counter tight enough her knuckles turned white and her voice was rough from crying as she shouted, "Just go! Go home to Alice!" 

There was the fleeting touch of fingertips on her shoulders and then the quiet click of a door closing and Lara was alone again. Something she was slowly becoming accustomed to.

\---

The advice came too late though because when Dana returned to Alice's apartment, the blonde was already there. Sitting on the couch, hands perched in her lap, staring blankly ahead at nothing at all. Pushing back the fear clutching to her throat and gathering up her courage once again, Dana called out softly, "Al?"

Turning to look at Dana, her face remaining horribly empty and filled with such a void of emotions that the athlete found herself frightened by it. She rushed to Alice's side, sitting next to her on the couch and gathering her up in a hug, pulling the blonde's head to her shoulder and whispering in her ear, "I love you, Al." Kissing the side of her head, squeezing her eyes tightly shut and fearing what she knew was about to be said. "I love you so much."

"Gabby," whispered Alice in a disbelieving half sob, burrowing her face in Dana's neck and clinging to the tennis player. "Dana… she said…"

"She said she loves you, didn't she?" asked Dana, unable to keep the anger from her voice when she spoke. She felt the writer cringe in her embrace and hated herself for a second before she decided to simply hate Gabby instead. It was just easier since the emotion was preexisting and she felt the screenwriter was to blame for all this anyway. "I went to see Lara," she murmured in Alice's ear. "She said that's why she broke up with her. Because she knew Gabby was in love with you. Just like she knew I was."

"Dana," Alice was sobbing now, burying herself into the athlete's arms. "Why would she say that? She never told me she loved me before. Not all those times we were together, she never said it, not once. Why would she say it now? When I'm so happy with you?" Pulling away from Dana, blinking back her tears and looking up with plaintive eyes, begging for the tennis player to give some kind of answer to her questions. "Why would she do that?"

"I don't know," whispered Dana, wiping the tears away with the pads of her thumbs and cupping Alice's face in her hands. "I don't know why she would do that, baby," she murmured. "But you…" Dana averted her eyes and swallowed hard. "You haven't changed your mind, have you? You don't love her back, do you? Because I know--"

"I love you, Dana," Alice said, voice thick with emotion and tears and the athlete felt her face stroked by gentle fingers and when she did, she could breathe again. Turning to look at the blonde, she formed a weak smile and was about to offer some apology but was interrupted by Alice pressing close, resting their foreheads together and breathing into her, "I love you."

Then she kissed her. She kissed her hard and long and just so very fevered and intense in the emotion that it reflected, pushing her tongue past Dana's lips and tasting everything she had to offer. Pushing the athlete down onto the cushions of the couch, hands slipping under the material of her shirt to cup her right breast.

"Alice," rasped Dana, her blue eyes dark and shadowed, swallowing hard when the writer looked up at her with brown eyes filled with such desire it made her tremble.

"I love you," Alice said again, sliding up the athlete's body and pulling the shirt over her head. Moving down to cup the side of her neck and dip her head to whisper in Dana's ear, low and throaty, "It's only you. I meant that." Kissing the sharp line of her jaw before moving up to capture her lips in a slow kiss as her hand moved down to unbutton the brunette's jeans with a loud snap. "It's only you," murmured Alice in gravelly tones, slipping her fingers inside of Dana's pussy and sliding upwards to kiss her hard and passionate. Pushing her tongue inside the tennis player's mouth as her fingers stroked further and deeper into Dana, making her moan into Alice's mouth. "Only you," Alice repeated in a desperation, as if the more she said then the more they would both know it to be absolutely true. Thrusting rough and hard and fast into Dana, kissing her with that same eager expression of emotion. Sobbing into her as she sucked on her tongue, moving her fingers in a sudden upstroke, absorbing the cries of Dana's orgasm and making them her own. "I love you, I love you," Alice cried in return, whispering it soft enough it was barely heard though there was no space between them. "Only you."

Her body and mind shaking and shuddering and trying to recover from the force of what just happened to her, Dana blinked back her tears and said hoarsely, "I know." She wrapped her arms around Alice and pulled her upwards and into her, pressing the blonde's face into the crook of her neck and kissing the top of her head. "I know that."

But somehow, even though Dana said the words so well and so good with such honest and genuine intention, neither woman really found themselves believing them.

\---

Over the years Gabby Deveaux had made more than a few enemies in the West Hollywood gay and lesbian community. Though she wouldn't call them enemies because she considered that being a wee overdramatic. She considered them, at best, to be nuisances.

People who adored to show up around every corner and try to ruin her plans with this girl or that girl by releasing a slew of her various romantic crimes over the years. And there were oh so many to choose from, after all. Gabby was nothing if not productive when it came to romancing women. The women, they had all come and gone, except for just one.

Alice always returned, somehow or another. Of course, Gabby was always the one who approached her. She would see the blonde and the moment she did, that gnawing need to have her again would take hold and bang! They were off like a shot on their fourth, fifth, or eleventh try at romance together. None of them ever seemed to succeed though.

But the failures each followed a distinct pattern that Gabby had memorized because it happened so very often. Which is why her first reaction upon opening her apartment door and seeing Nadia Meirtschin was to immediately shut the door right back in the other woman's face. The rejection wasn't something that Nadia took to heart, unfortunately, and immediately she began banging on Gabby's door like the drama queen she was born and bred to be. 

Sometimes Gabby truly did loathe women.

Opening the door and leaning against the frame, she folded her arms over her chest and then lifted an eyebrow. "What?" Gabby drawled in a sharp demand. "I really don't have time to play with you Nadia. So tell me whatever gossip that's gained your mouse like brain's attention this time and then please, do me a favor and toddle off."

"You're a fucking bitch," Nadia declared, pushing past Gabby and walking into the apartment she was all too familiar with due to their countless affairs. She shrugged off her coat and flung it on the couch, smiling as she began a slow walk towards the brunette while forming a seductive smile. "But that hasn't changed how good you are in bed. I heard you got rid of your chef. Do you want to have fun with me now?"

"I'd rather contract Ebola by having a rusty needle shoved into my arm repeatedly," said Gabby in droll tones, walking past Nadia and grabbing her coat to throw it at the other woman who caught it in something close to shock. "I don't require your services anymore, Nadia. I meant it when I said we're done for good this time."

"Because of the redhead?" asked Nadia derisively. "Gabby, please, she's a child--"

"Because of Alice," interrupted Gabby, calmly clasping Nadia's arms and pushing her towards the door. "I've finally figured out she's the one I want and I'm taking her back. And for once, I'm not going to be amused by you trying to fuck things up. Which means, my old and dear fuck buddy friend who loves to break women's hearts as I once did, we're through."

"Alice?" Nadia laughed long and hard, facing Gabby as she walked out the now open door backwards. She shrugged on her coat and continued mockingly, "You must be kidding. I'm the least of your problems when it comes to Alice. Even if I'm a good girl and leave you alone, you'll fuck it up somehow. You always do, Gabby." Shaking her jacket out and checking that it was fitting her perfectly once again, Nadia walked down the hallway, calling over her shoulder, "And she doesn't love you anyway. She loves that tennis player of hers. The hot one that I still experience regret about never getting to have sex with."

Forming an almost nonexistent frown and hating herself for getting worked up by Nadia's words, Gabby shut the door. Quietly returning to what she had been occupied with before Nadia's appearance. Sitting on her couch and staring at the pair of open toe dress sandals designed by Michael Kors that Alice had left in her apartment two days ago. Picking one of the sandals up, Gabby stared at it and muttered, "I should return you. If I return you I can talk to Alice and if I can talk to Alice then I can talk her into coming back to me."

Then Gabby did what she did the twenty eight other times she said those words. She put the shoe right back onto the coffee table with its partner and resumed the task of staring at it. The truth was, while she wanted to see Alice and while she desperately wanted to talk Alice into coming back to her, some tiny part of her felt guilty about doing so.

Which, honest to god, fucking shocked the hell out of her. Never in her life had she felt guilty about whatever she did in order to get what she wanted. The ends justify the means, that was Gabby's battle cry in life. Particularly when it came to getting women. Those who feel bad and guilt and worry and obsess on what's right and wrong never get what they want in life and if you can't get what you want, what the hell is the point in living? To just breathe air?

Gabby did what she wanted to who she wanted and when she wanted and as a result she lived a very happy existence. For herself, at least. Those who dealt with the aftermath of her actions usually weren't quite so pleased with her but what did they matter? It was her life and she could do what she damn well pleased with it.

But this time she felt guilty for what she wanted.

Maybe it was because this time she knew she was hurting the very thing she wanted. That she was hurting Alice with her actions, she could see that in the blonde's eyes when she looked at her before running away like a modern day bisexual Cinderella, leaving her expensive heels behind. Staring at the shoes again, Gabby wondered if perhaps this was part of Alice's evil plan to make her have a foot fetish as well as a penchant for S&M. Then she realized the writer would never try such a thing as she knew how very gross Gabby found feet to be. 

Only Alice knew things like that. None of the other women she dated over the years knew she hated feet. They didn't know she listened to Tori Amos when she was depressed, they didn't know her favorite candy was black licorice, they didn't know she hated how most dykes loved to smell like vanilla. In fact, if they knew that last one, most of them wouldn't make themselves smell like fucking vanilla then, would they?

It was just Alice who knew that and made sure she never smelled like vanilla. Even when Gabby would decide to make a random reappearance. When she would see Alice in Trader Joe's or Sephora or Girl Bar or any other number of places she felt struck by the sudden need to be with the blonde again upon seeing her. Alice never smelled like vanilla.

And Gabby knew it was because of her. Because of the first time they were together and curled up in an embrace when Alice asked her how it was causing Gabby to reply with a droll, "Good but I hate the smell of vanilla and you smell like vanilla."

The next day Alice didn't smell like vanilla anymore and she never did since. Some perverse part of Gabby celebrated in that because it showed day by day how much she affected Alice, how she made her change and shift because of what she thought and how she felt about things. It made her feel powerful in a strange way and Gabby loved feeling that way. She loved that she could fucking tell how much she counted when it came to Alice, how what she said was taken to heart and how it stayed with the blonde.

How she stayed with her.

Gabby knew she as an asshole, she knew she was a bitch, she knew she was a selfish prick, and she knew that she was twisted as well. That she probably didn't have any concept of what the touted 'real love' actually was in this world but at the same time she didn't fucking care. If you asked her, the asshole bitchy selfish prick twisted version of love she felt for Alice was just as valid as the Harlequin romance crap that tennis player probably felt for her.

There wasn't anything in her mind that made her unworthy of Alice or having her love and that's why Gabby finally stopped staring at the fucking shoes, picked them up, and left her apartment with them firmly in hand. She was sick and tired of the brooding and the remembering and the doing nothing but breathing.

She wanted to live her life again and she wanted to live it with Alice. And fuck and goddamn anyone who tried to get in her way. Including Dana Fairbanks.

\---

They weren't talking like they used to. The conversations she had with Dana had become empty and they were now the polite ones you tended to have with people who were strangers but not really. You know, the ones you saw every Sunday in the supermarket or when you went to get your mail. The ones where you sort of knew what their names were but you weren't sure so you never said the name out loud just in case you happened to call them the wrong thing. 

How she spoke with Dana felt like that. It felt like she didn't know Dana's name was Dana Fairbanks and instead she might be actually called something like Bailey McGullis. And Alice knew why they weren't talking. Because of her breakdown about Gabby.

She hated herself for that. For falling apart like she did and making Dana feel that doubt again. That fucking doubt and insecurity that made her afraid to talk to Alice because she was afraid if they talked then the blonde would tell her she was leaving her.

The worst part was every time Alice tried to talk to Dana about that night, about Gabby, and about how she really felt, the athlete wouldn't let her. She would speak those damning words from so long ago, when this same terrible distance was between them, that it didn't matter. That she didn't need to hear such things, that she knew Alice loved her.

Repeating the words over and over like they were a spell and the more Dana uttered them then the more they would be the absolute truth. That Alice loved her and Alice wouldn’t leave her. And yet, Dana wouldn't let the blonde say those words herself. Part of her thought maybe it was because the tennis player felt that if Alice said these words they would become nothing more than a lie someday.

And that lie would hurt Dana far more than Alice actually leaving. Simply because Alice never lied to Dana in the entire time that she had known her. She had attempted it once or twice when it came to planning surprises for the athlete and getting her a birthday present that Dana wouldn't find out about. But in the end, they were at best lies of the harmless translucent variety that caused no real harm.

But the lie that Dana thought Alice would tell if she said those words? It would surely cause harm. Not only harm but terrible destruction of the emotional kind. This lie would rip her apart at the seams and leave her empty inside and the athlete couldn't bear to even contemplate it. 

Which is why she never let Alice say those words.

The problem was those were the only words that Alice wanted to say because they were the ones which could soothe Dana. Words that could make her feel better once again, secure in the writer and their love and how Alice did truly love her so very much. More than anyone else in her short life and she couldn't see herself without Dana anymore than the tennis player could see life without Alice at her side.

Each and every time she tried to tell Dana this she would be cut off by some inane babble about this TV show or that weather pattern or sometimes she wouldn't get babble. She would get the eager press of soft lips against hers, sweet at first then demanding and desperate as if Dana was tasting everything she could get of Alice before the blonde was gone. And it was these kisses which affected the writer the most.

Why was Dana kissing her this way? 

Why was Dana behaving as if Alice wanted to leave her? No, not even that. Acting as if Alice didn't have a choice in leaving her? That she was destined to leave Dana and return to Gabby the moment that Gabby snapped her fingers?

There was a pattern when it came to her and Gabby, she knew that. Alice wasn't a stupid person and she could clearly see her own faults even if she wasn't the best at correcting them. She knew that she went back to Gabby over and over and Dana had seen this happen. And she knew that was why the athlete was acting this way. Why she was grim in her belief that it would occur once again no matter what she did to stop it. Alice knew all of that.

What she didn't know was why Dana wouldn't let her explain why it wouldn't happen with them. Why Dana wouldn't let Alice say the reasons she loved Dana more than Gabby, why Dana was the only person Alice could picture growing old with, why Dana was the only person she thought of herself with in the future, and how that had never happened to her before.

Yes it was true that she had been in love with Gabby once but never did she envision herself and Gabby as bitchy old ladies sitting on a porch in rocking chairs making fun of other bitchy old ladies who resided in the old folks home with them. But Alice did see herself with Dana as an old lady. Not in an old folks home but in a simple house on the beach with the tennis player still exercising like a maniac and trying to make her eat and drink healthy things and her still doing her level best to avoid them.

She saw it play out so very crystal clear in her mind.

And god how she wanted to tell Dana this. That she saw their future and she knew it would happen, she knew it was what was meant to happen for them. She had so many doubts and so many fears and so many things fall through over the years in her life but Alice knew without any doubt that this was true.

Her life was meant to be lived with Dana at her side and right now, the only thing Alice wanted was to be able to tell the other woman that. But she wasn't being allowed. The woman she loved, the woman she was in love with, the woman she wanted to spend her life with, wouldn't let her say those words. Dana wouldn't let her tell her those things. 

The athlete was doing the nonverbal equivalent of sticking her fingers into her ears and saying lalalala over and over at loud tones to block Alice out. Maybe that was an exaggeration but she was getting frustrated with the situation and sure wasn't sure how much more she could take.

Then came a familiar noise then Gabby's voice coming from her intercom, asking to come up and Alice found herself buzzing her in before she quite knew why. There was soon a knock to her door and she opened it to let the brunette inside who silently placed the pair of sandals by Michael Kors that she abandoned in the screenwriter's apartment into her hands. And Alice gratefully took the shoes, happy that they weren't yet another prisoner of war in the longtime battle that was their on and off again relationship.

"We need to talk," said Gabby bluntly. Watching Alice put the shoes down carefully in her recliner and stare at them as if they held the secret to life.

"You want to talk to me," Alice muttered the words in disbelieving tones, releasing a caustic laugh. She looked up at the brunette with slightly wild eyes and waved her hands as she continued, "And Dana wants to do everything but talk to me. What the hell is going on, huh? Has the world inverted and flipped and suddenly you're acting like Dana and Dana is acting like you? Or are you both just really enjoying fucking with my head, Gabby?" Alice laughed again, squeezing her eyes shut and running her hand through her hair, thoroughly making it a mess. "It wouldn't be the first time you enjoyed that pastime but I'm wondering when exactly Dana decided to follow your lead on that. She never used to be this way."

"She's fucking scared," replied Gabby evenly, walking towards Alice and cupping her chin to make the blonde look up and meet her gaze. "She's seen what we have and she knows what's going to happen." Her breath was sweet on Alice's skin as she ducked her head for a kiss only to have her lips press against the blonde's cheek as she quickly turned her head to avoid it.

"We don't have anything, Gabby," whispered Alice, keeping her eyes fixed on the far wall, looking at the chart. Studying the elaborate line that Dana created not so long ago between her name and the tennis player's. Trying her best not to let her eyes fall to just inches below where Gabby's name lurked always and perpetually. "I love Dana."

A soft sigh and she shivered as she felt it on her skin, she felt Gabby exhale and that delicate touch of fingers resting lightly on her waist, pulling her forward. She let herself move into the other woman, she let it happen because she didn't quite have the energy to stop it. Not when Gabby was being so strangely hesitant and thoughtful, things utterly out of character for her that made Alice wonder if perhaps the brunette actually did believe what she was saying. That if she really did think she was in love with Alice this time around.

This would've been an utterly ridiculous thought just three days ago but three days ago Gabby hadn't told her what she did and kissed her in a way that only Dana had ever kissed her. And now Alice found her time occupied by trying to get Dana to talk to her and trying to forget that incident. Only it was very hard to forget with Gabby here trying to relive it again. 

"I never said you didn't love her," Gabby murmured slowly, sounding as if she was very carefully picking and choosing her every word spoken. "I said that she's fucking scared and she's seen what we've had and she knows what will happen. Your tennis player has watched me come back for you all those times, Alice," she drew her name out like a virtual caress, sensual and deliberate, echoing of promises long since spoken between them. Pushing back a lock of blonde hair and tucking it behind her ear, Gabby had a smile in her voice and she said softly, "Did you hear me? I came back for you, Alice. She saw that and she knows how much I care for you because I've made it pretty fucking evident I don't come back for anyone. But I have for you," Gabby whispered into her ear, smiling when she felt more than saw the blonde begin to tremble against her. "Haven't I?"

"You're forgetting that you also leave me," replied Alice, her voice empty and small and a bit harsh. "You come back but that only happens after you left me and usually you don't leave for a good reason, Gabby. You leave because I'm suddenly too clingy or too demanding or too fucking Alice for you." Turning her head to lock their eyes, Alice said simply, "And now you want me to believe you love me? That you'll never leave me again?" Another laugh escaped her and she shook her head in amusement. "Nice try but I'm not that stupid."

"You want to stay with the safe bet," drawled Gabby, lifting an eyebrow and keeping her gaze steady with Alice's. Not wanting to lose this connection or for it to drift and separate. Wanting Alice to look at her and finally see what she knew to be the truth. That this time she did fucking mean it and she would convince the blonde of that if it was the last thing she did. "Your tennis player has never left you like I have, she's never hurt you like I have, but tell me this, Alice? Has she made you feel the things that I have? Does she make your fucking pulse race and your body jump and you gasp in that way that's almost silent but just somehow isn't?" Gabby murmured, keeping her eyes fixed on Alice's, watching them shift and darken, moving her head closer to the writer's as she spoke. Breath once again sweet on Alice's skin as she leaned in and said, "Love shouldn't be safe, sweetheart."

"Dana has loved me for years," Alice argued hoarsely, turning her head away again but somehow unable to pull herself away from Gabby completely. Leaving their bodies close.

"I know," Gabby chuckled and a smile quirking on her lips when Alice whipped her head to stare at her with wide eyes. "It wasn't hard to figure out, Alice," she drawled humorously. "The girl followed you around like a puppy dog trailing after scraps. I knew she loved you and I knew she wouldn't ever do anything about it. And she didn't, did she?" Gabby pressed the question inquisitively, arching an eyebrow in interest. "You went after her, didn't you? You told her first and you went to her again and then she told you. She told you after years of loving you and not saying anything and not doing anything." Pausing to watch the writer process this, she murmured after several moments, "I told you though, didn't I? I told you each and every time how much I wanted you. Even when I left you I told you why, didn't I, Alice? But what has she ever told you besides those three little words that she fucking hid to herself for years?"

"Dana shows me how much she loves me," Alice argued again, this time finally pulling away from Gabby both mentally and physically. Walking across the room and hugging herself in a protective gesture. "Maybe you think you love me, Gabby, but you do nothing but hurt me in the end. Dana doesn't do that and that's how I know she's the one I'm--"

"She's the one that you're what? Meant to be with?" interrupted Gabby derisively, walking towards Alice determined and sure. Taking her time and watching the writer with a lidded and observant gaze that analyzed every expression and slight movement of the body. "You feel good when you're with me though, don't you, Alice? I know I feel that way when I'm with you." A smile tugged at Gabby's lips and she stepped close once again and murmured, "And you know feeling good is good enough for me."

"Me and Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin," Alice said, returning the smile and automatically playing their longstanding and often random game of spotting music, movies, and television trivia. 

"There's nothing left to lose," Gabby murmured soft and solemn, meeting Alice's brown eyes that were going wide and then ducking her head to capture her lips in a kiss.

There was no one else who kissed her like Gabby did and Alice wondered if maybe that was why she went back to her all those times. Because when Gabby kissed her she could feel how much the other woman wanted her. She could feel it in the way she would suck on her tongue hard and soft then long and luxurious, trying to devour everything Alice was. Wanting to have everything the writer had for herself and saying in that soft wet demand of her mouth.

"I want you," muttered Gabby, her voice thick with emotion and hoarse as she spoke against Alice's lips before moving back in to seize them again. Kissing her hard and long then pulling the writer into her, slipping her hands into the back pockets of the blonde's jeans and pressing their bodies together. Mimicking the same motion that she had experienced so many times herself at Alice's hands and relishing being able to do it herself. "I love you."

"Don't do this," Alice gasped, managing to separate from Gabby, resting her forehead on the screenwriter's shoulder. "It's not real, Gabby. You're just doing what you always do. Deciding that you want me when you think you can't have me anymore. But this time I'm not going to change my mind." She tilted her head and unconsciously moved her head into the other woman's neck, hiding herself there. "I love Dana."

Perfectly manicured hands partially covered in the wispy sleeves to yet another white shirt cupped her face soft but strong, lifting Alice's head so she looked at Gabby who looked at her with an expression that echoed of ferocity and some strange type of emotional outrage Alice had never imagined witnessing on the brunette's features. "Don't you tell me what's real," she almost growled the words out, her voice low and somehow sensual and her breath hot on Alice's skin. "I know what I fucking feel, Alice. And I know that I love you."

"I love Dana," Alice said the words again, repeating them like a mantra and understanding why the athlete had done the exact same thing for the last two days. Seeing why she found comfort in doing so because it gave you something to hold onto, something to believe in when you felt your sanity slipping. Just like she felt it slipping now as Gabby moved closer. "I do."

"I don't care," replied Gabby in a simple and low utterance, tangling her fingers in Alice's hair then pulling her in and once more devouring her whole with yet another searing kiss. 

Somehow this was different than all of those other kisses that let her know how much Gabby wanted her. This was the one that let Alice know how much the screenwriter loved her. She could finally feel it in the way Gabby rose up into her, pressing close and insistent, her tongue slipping inside to explore and taste and touch deeper than it ever had before. Her hands sliding up and under her shirt, caressing the skin of her stomach and trailing up to cup her breast. While her free arm wrapped around her waist, hand firm and holding her close. Lips never stilling, not once, kissing her deeper and more passionately with every second that passed and god, as much as Alice didn't want to feel it she did. She could feel that Gabby loved her and unable to stop herself, the blonde began crying.

Why now? 

Why couldn't Gabby have realized sooner? Why didn't this happen before just so many bad things had gone on between them? Why was this happening when she was finally happy with Dana? And why couldn't she seem to find the strength of will to push Gabby away?

Why did some tiny part of her secretly want this?

And why, god, why didn't she hear the sound of the doorknob turning and the door closing to signal Dana's arrival? Why did she have to moan into Gabby's kiss and press into her as the athlete took that disbelieving step forward, unable to comprehend what she was seeing? Why didn't she hear the sob escape her lips as she lifted a hand to cover her mouth as if to silence the pain? Why didn't she notice until it was far too late, her last sight of Dana being one of her exiting the apartment, looking back to meet Alice's gaze, blue eyes filled with tears and her face wearing an expression of hopeless resignation?

\---

Dana had always thought of herself as a winner and a loser. She was a winner at tennis, at ranking high in tournaments, at pushing herself to her physical limit and beyond, at that Dana excelled. However, she considered herself to be a loser in love. Romance and emotions and relationships were never something Dana was very good at.

Even before she realized she was gay.

While she loved her family deeply, Dana didn't understand them in the slightest. Her parents had such strangely formal way of dealing with each other that she always wondered as a child if they were actually in love. And her brother was her polar opposite when it came to socializing. Where she fumbled and stammered and said all the wrong things, he would walk gracefully, saying everything that was charming and right. 

It seemed to Dana that each and every time she tried something outside the realm of tennis it failed. Particularly when it came to romance. All of it started with Stephanie…

Somehow it still hurt to think about her. She knew it was the fact it was her first love but god, why did it have to hurt so much? Remembering how they had told each other everything, all their secrets, their hopes, their dreams, and how Stephanie would whisper into her skin late at night how much she loved her. Those silly plans they had made. How Dana would visit Stephanie during the Thanksgiving holiday and how Stephanie would visit Dana during Christmas and how the next year at tennis camp Dana would apply to be a counselor and then they would be able to share a room together and get some much desired privacy.

They were kids. Stupid kids and Dana knew that. But they had been so in love and it was ripped away nearly as soon as it started and even now her heart screamed how unfair it was. That she didn't get a chance with Stephanie, that she had only those three months.

She tried to write her but the letters got sent back. Just like Dana had tried to phone her and her calls got diverted, always being told Stephanie wasn't home until eventually the number no longer worked anymore. Then a year passed and Dana was in yet another USTA sponsored tournament and she saw her.

Stephanie was there, in front of her and Dana called out her name, a huge smile forming on her face before running over to the older girl who turned to her with a blank stare. There was this flicker in those green eyes that held specks of gold, one of recognition, one of regret, one of even love. Then it was gone and Stephanie asked in flat tones, "Do I know you?"

Her chest tightening and her vision going blurry with tears, Dana took an automatic step backwards. When she didn't reply, Stephanie held her stare, seeming to almost demand an answer. Wanting proof that Dana understood and accepted that this was how it was going to be between them from now on.

That they were nothing more than strangers.

"No, you don't," Dana had finally replied, her voice shaking much like her body before she turned on her heel and ran away.

She remembered running through the sea of people, pushing through the crowd, hearing some cussing at her and a few yells but none of it registered. The only thing that stayed with Dana was the look on Stephanie's face and those words that she said which dismissed everything they shared.

At the time, before this happened, if asked, Dana would have said Stephanie was the only person who knew her. Really and truly knew her but she didn't want that anymore. She didn't want to know Dana, she didn't want to have ever known her, much less loved her and that broke something deep inside of Dana that she never thought could be repaired.

And then she met Alice. 

Alice with her gentle eyes, Alice with her easy smile, Alice with her affectionate teasing, Alice with her endless little ways she made Dana feel loved. She met her and suddenly that broken piece of her heart slowly was pieced back together, then glued, and finally became whole when she heard Alice say that she was in love with her.

Fixing something that was once broken is wonderful but the problem with things that are broken and are now fixed is that if they are to break again, it becomes that much harder to fix. There's only so many repairs you can do to a delicate object before it becomes useless.

The first blow that was dealt to Dana's heart by way of Stephanie's rejection splintered and cracked it but it didn't really leave anything permanently broken. The second blow dealt by Alice and Gabby because of what she saw? That shattered Dana's heart into a million pieces and scattered them in a way that left her with no idea where they could have all landed.

All she knew was how she felt inside.

She felt dead to the world, numb to emotions and just unable to quite grasp the fact that it happened again. That the person she loved didn't actually turn out to really love her. Oh, she knew that Stephanie and Alice thought they did but they didn't. If they loved her then how could they hurt her this way?

Though it wasn't as bad this time, Dana realized. Ever since she came home to find Alice in tears, telling her that Gabby had just confessed her love she had been preparing for this. For Alice to leave her… for Gabby to work her spell…

But somehow part of her hoped it wouldn't happen. She knew Alice loved her, Dana had been friends with the blonde too long not to know when she was lying and when she was telling the truth. Alice was such a terrible liar, after all, it was quite easy to spot the difference. So yes, Dana knew that Alice loved her but she didn't know how much and for how long.

Maybe it was better this way. 

They could go back to how things were in time. She could bury her feelings and try to repress her hatred for Gabby and then she would have Alice again, like before. Safe and warm and always there at her side. No risk of losing her because there was nothing to lose in having only Alice's friendship just like there was nothing really to gain.

Dana would return to her emotional stasis and wait until another nice girl like Lara would come along and then she would live out her life with her. She might not feel the rush of emotions, the excitement, the overwhelming passion, the horrifying power of a real love but she would be safe and she wouldn't hurt like this ever again.

And right now, that sounded like a very good thing to Dana.

There was one thing that she always did when she felt this bad and it was to hide from the world in general and to especially hide from whoever or whatever made her feel this way. That's why Dana turned off her cell phone, didn't return to her condo, and instead drove to her parents house where she asked her family to tell Alice, if she called, that she wasn't there.

Then she went to her room, pulled the curtains shut, turned off the lights, hiding herself away under the blankets, and laid in bed. She stayed like that for almost an hour when the she heard the door creak open and the sound of footsteps that attempted to be quiet but failed utterly. A hand that seemed too large for who it belonged to, hesitantly petted the top of her head and the bed sank under their weight as they sat down.

"Sis?" Howie asked, his normally humorous and sardonic inflection missing, causing him to sound awkward and out of place for the first time in his life. "What's going on? Why are you making Mom and Dad lie, and very badly at that, to Alice of all people?"

"She's been calling?" asked Dana, staring blankly into the darkness. 

"You hear the phone ringing over and over and over?" asked Howie, his sarcastic humor making a slight return. Dana's eyes flicked over to him then returned to their blank stare and getting aggravated at this, Howie said in droll tones, "That would be Alice and Alice and Alice." He sat back and lifted an eyebrow staidly. "Mom is threatening to disconnect all the telephones if she calls two more times. And by threatening to disconnect I mean that she'll make me go around the house pulling all those plugs."

Looking away from Howie and staring at the trophy she won at the tournament where Stephanie tried to erase everything they had shared, including Dana's good memories of her, she said in stark tones, "She'll stop eventually. They always stop."

Blinking at this, Howie frowned and demanded, "What the fuck does that mean, Dane? And what the hell is going on? Did you two have a fight?"

"Alice is with Gabby," said Dana, staring at the trophy and remembering how her backhand had won her that match. Trying to recall how the crowd cheered and how happy she had been to spot Stephanie in the stands for that brief moment, causing her to chase after the other girl only to get so horribly rejected. "She went back to her again."

"She what?!" Howie shrieked.

A perverse and miserable smile twisting her lips, Dana chuckled at her brother's typically over the top reaction and murmured, "I thought it would happen. Gabby always comes back for Alice and she always goes back to her. She tried to tell me that it wouldn't happen this time, not with us, but then I saw them…" Trailing off brokenly and taking a large visible swallow, Dana turned to Howie and looked at him with teary blue eyes drowning in so much pain that it hurt for him to look into them. "I saw them, How." Releasing a gasping sob, crying into her brother's chest covered in a soft cotton t-shirt as he held her close and tried to calm her body that was shaking with sobs. "She promised me but I saw them. I saw them," Dana cried, barely able to say the words.

The amount of time that passed before Dana stopped crying because she had fallen into a deep and emotionally exhausted sleep was lost to Howie. Because the only thing he knew and the only thing that mattered to him was that his sister was hurting and he wanted it to stop.

And that was all that was on his mind as he left the house.

\---

The thing about being a bartender is that you have all kinds of customers. There are the newbie first timers, the occasional on and off show ups, and then there are the regulars. But there are different types of regulars. There are the regulars who just like to drink a few and chat, the regulars who don't like to chat at all, and the regulars who only show up when they want to drown their misery in several large pints of alcohol.

Alice Pieszecki found herself among the last kind of regulars for Tabitha, the longtime bartender at The Palms. Over the years it was sadly guaranteed that if Tabitha happened to see the blonde walk through the door something bad had surely happened to cause it. And this time was certainly not an exception.

Like the times before, Alice shrugged off any attempt at conversation and Tabitha allowed it and like the times before, she easily gave up her keys and handed over her wallet, requesting Tabitha to call a cab when she deemed it necessary. This was a ritual both of them were well used to and it all played out with a strange sort of elegance.

Staring at the bottle of Jack Daniels she requested, Alice poured herself a glass and took a drink. The liquid was a slow burn down her throat and some part of her relished the pain. Like it was a physical manifestation of what her heart was going through.

Five hours she had been calling.

Calling Dana's cell phone, calling Dana's condo, calling Dana's friends and her friends as well, and calling Dana's family. Calling, calling, calling, and calling. Fucking calling for Dana so she could tell her it wasn't what she thought. That she didn't want Gabby, that it just happened, calling for Dana to let her explain, calling for Dana to say how much she loved her, calling for Dana to believe in her, to believe in them. Though it seemed she was calling in vain.

She was probably at her parents house. Alice knew that and that's why she kept calling them although recently the phone just rang without answer and she figured they either were very good at ignoring her or they put their phones off the hook in the house. It didn't surprise her that Dana's family would do something like that. Though the tennis player complained about them they both knew at heart her family cared so very much about her and would do almost anything to protect her.

Including ignoring Alice and her calls.

At first she wanted to go there but then she realized that maybe it was better to give Dana her space. When she saw the tennis player leaving, she had pushed Gabby away and ran after her but god, Dana was so fucking fast. She was in her car and driving away before Alice could say anything to her and just as she ran to her car to follow Gabby appeared and fucking confused the situation more.

She yelled at Gabby to leave, yelled at her asking why did she have to do this, yelled at Gabby for lying to her, yelled at Gabby for saying she loved her. Yelled until Gabby stopped the yelling with another heated kiss and Alice felt herself give in until she remembered Dana and the look in her eyes. That look of total resignation. As if she knew this would happen. That Alice would betray her and it tore her apart to think she had proven the athlete's worst fears to be true.

Shoving Gabby from her, Alice ran into her building and ignored Gabby much like Dana was now ignoring her. Then she started the continuous series of calls, becoming more agitated and panicked with every second she couldn't reach Dana.

Finally giving up when she heard the nonstop ringing at the Fairbanks house. Knowing because of it that Dana was there and she was safe and being cared for. Which was all that Alice really wanted, to know that Dana was being cared for.

To know that Dana wasn't alone like she was.

Pouring another glass of Jack before taking a slow drink and then placing the glass down to peel at the label to the bottle, Alice wondered why this was happening. It seemed to her that life was fucked up in its plans if Gabby suddenly had to realize now that she loved her. Where was this knowledge when she had been praying for it over all these years?

She was in love with Dana but she couldn't seem to rid herself of Gabby. Maybe it was because Gabby had been with her just as long as Dana and Gabby had that same hold on her that Dana did. Although hers was certainly less healthy than the athlete's. They both knew her so fucking well, all her little quirks and fears and insecurities, they knew them completely.

And they wanted her anyway.

That never failed to amaze Alice, that two women would want her that way. Much less two smart and sexy women like Dana and Gabby.

There wasn't a choice in her mind. Alice was in love with Dana and Dana was the one she wanted to be with. But as she finished off the bottle of Jack and called for Tabitha to bring her another, Alice wondered if maybe Dana really loved her.

If Dana loved her wouldn't she let her explain? Wouldn't she let Alice tell her what was going on? And if Dana loved her wouldn't she fight for her? How could Dana say just days ago she didn't want her near Gabby only to leave when she saw Gabby was with her? She knew it was fucking horrible to think these things because Dana was the hurt party in this, she was the victim if there even was a victim, but still…

Why did Dana run like that?

Pouring another glass of Jack, staring at the brown liquid while it poured down and pooled at the bottom, Alice tried to recall some bullshit saying she learned in one of her more obnoxious literary classes in school. Something about your love only having the value of how hard you fought to obtain and keep it with you. Chuckling grimly and taking a slow drink, Alice couldn't help but wonder what her and Dana's love was worth.

A peso? A wooden nickel? A Susan B. Anthony dollar?

Maybe this some twisted sign that they weren't mean to be together after all. Because if Dana was going to give up and run every time they had a problem then how could they ever stay together? How the fuck could Alice ever have her dream of being an old lady in that house on the beach with Dana if she didn't stay with her when the worst happened?

This whole thing with Gabby was like the universe's emergency test of Alice and Dana's love broadcast system of some shit like that, she figured. It was meant to come in and fuck things up to see how they handled it. And oh, weren't they handling it well? With Dana running and Alice drinking and them both drowning in their sorrow.

Yeah, it was a very successful test all right, thought Alice with another grim chuckle, taking a slow drink of her Jack and plunking the empty glass down loudly on the bar.

"Why in the fuck are you looking so goddamn miserable for?" scoffed a haughty voice that had managed to achieve the very pinnacle of auditory disdain.

Turning her head, Alice blinked and blearily took in the unwelcome sight of Nadia Meirtschin standing in front of her before she turned back to the bar and poured another glass of Jack for herself. Nadia watched this for a moment then released an irritated noise and drawled, "You're no fun, you know that, Alice? You have never been any fun and that's why Gabby always left you for me. But this time she says she doesn't want to." Nadia laughed incredulously, rolling her eyes and folding her arms over her chest, "This time the twisted little creature actually thinks she's in love with you. You," she snorted, looking Alice up and down as the reporter continued to ignore her and drank her Jack. "The often badly dressed gossipy might as well be freelance journalist slash public radio DJ." Shaking her head, Nadia flicked her hair over her shoulder, walking away as she declared, "She's obviously gained all of your neuroses."

"Fuck you very much," Alice muttered peevishly, staying face forward and lifting up her hand, giving Nadia the finger while downing the last of her drink with her free hand. Staring down at the empty glass then shutting her eyes tight as she mumbled, "I didn't need to hear that."

And she really didn't. She really didn't need to hear that Gabby actually meant it. That Gabby really did love her. Because she didn't want to think about that. Because if she thought about that then she would start to think about how Gabby was fighting for their love if that was the truth. She would think about how Gabby was fighting to be with her.

She would think about how Gabby was doing the one thing that Dana wasn't. Fighting with everything in her to keep their love alive. 

That was one thing that mattered to Alice the most when it all came right down to it. Because how in the world can anyone expect a love to last when you aren't even willing to fight to keep it?

\---

There were only three things that Dana and Howie had in common but they just happened to be three fairly important things. The first was the fear of somehow disappointing their parents enough they would no longer love them. Second was their habit of hiding behind a mask, Howie's was one of sardonic humor and Dana's was a fierce dedication to tennis. Third was their unwillingness to let someone truly know and love them because of how incredibly vulnerable that would leave them to being hurt by that person. All three things of these things were why Howie was waiting outside of Alice's apartment with Gino at two in the morning.

They had been standing there for thirty five minutes and forty one seconds when Gino finally voiced his opinion on their late night stake out. Lifting a gentle hand to tangle it into Howie's curly hair, rubbing the back of his head as he did, Gino pressed a kiss to Howie's cheek. When the other boy looked his way, he smiled softly and said, "I think you're the best brother in the world for doing this."

"But?" said Howie dryly, lifting an eyebrow.

"I wish I had a brother or sister like you growing up," Gino continued, undeterred by Howie's attitude which he was more than used to.

"No you don't," said Howie, moving closer to capture his lips for a kiss. When they separated, he smirked and said, "If I was related to you that would make us perpetrators of incest. Which is considered nasty, even by homos." Gino laughed at this and scrunched up his nose to make an 'eww gross' face, causing Howie to smile fondly. Tilting his head to one side, brushing the back of his hand against his boyfriend's cheek as he said again, "But?"

His laughter quietly dying, Gino met Howie's gaze and murmured, "But maybe you should let your sister fix this on her own."

"But she can't!" cried Howie, looking at Gino with disbelieving eyes before turning his attention down the hall and folded his arms across his chest. "You don't know Dana like I do. She's not good with telling people how she feels." He paused for a moment then focused back on Gino, pleading for some understanding as he said with certain affectionate exasperation for his sister, "Dane's known she was dyke since she was fifteen and didn't come out until she was twenty eight! And she's been in love with Alice for years now and she's only just told her."

"I don't see why that means you have to get involved with her relationship issues," Gino explained kindly, trying his best to really understand why they were here. While he did think that Howie had to be the best brother he ever met, that didn't change the fact that he felt they were intruding by getting involved with Dana and Alice's problems. Reaching out to clasp the other boy's hand and squeezing it, he said, "She's your big sister, not the other way around."

"What does that mean?" asked Howie incredulously, yanking his hand away and looking at Gino as if he were some strange foreign creature. "Because she's older I can't help her? I can't worry about her?" Shaking his head and raising his arms up into the air, clenching his hands into fists, he turned to Gino and looked at him with dark eyes and said with a disconcerting intensity, "You don't know my sister like I do. She's the type of person who is so fucking afraid of being hurt and rejected that she's willing to live her whole fucking life only halfway happy just to make sure that hurt and rejection never happens to her. Alice is her chance to be whole, to be happy all the way, and I'm not going to let her lose that without doing something to stop it." Having said that, Howie faced forward, his jaw set stubbornly as he thumped loudly back into Alice's apartment door, leaning against it. "Even if that makes me an interfering Queen."

Silence and then Howie felt Gino's hands, callused from his playing on the golf team, cup his chin, lifting his head up to meet their eyes. "You're not an interfering Queen," murmured Gino, stroking Howie's cheek to move in for a slow kiss that soon escalated and had them moaning into one another.

"Why is Gay Boys Gone Wild at my door?" asked Alice in sardonic but alcohol bleary tones.

Separating quickly, Howie and Gino moved back to watch as Alice fumbled around with her keys before Howie snatched them from her hands after she failed to unlock her door by putting the key to her gym locker in the hole upside down. "Let me do that," said Howie peevishly, easily unlocking the door and leaning back against it to let them in.

"He's cranky," observed Alice somberly, leaning into Gino and grinning up at him. "Hey kid," she drawled. "You're still hanging out with this bitchy guy?"

"I like bitchy guys," said Gino humorously, wrapping an arm around Alice's waist to lead her inside. "They're feisty."

"Is feisty the code word for super bitchy?" Alice drunkenly pondered, flopping down on the couch to squint at Howie who sat across from her on the coffee table. "That's not lady like, you know, sitting on people's coffee tables instead of their traditional sitting furniture."

"I'm not a lady, I'm a bitchy gay boy gone wild," retorted Howie. He stared at Alice, an angry glint in his hazel eyes, then demanded, "What the hell is going on? Dana is being all super loser recluse weird, coming home only to lock herself up in her old room listening to goddamn Morrissey. And you're blasted and I have no idea what the fuck is going on except you're both screwing up probably the best thing in your stupid dyke drama filled lives."

"Dana's listening to Morrissey?" asked Alice dimly, squinting at Howie and trying her best to figure out why the athlete would do that. She had never listened to Morrissey or The Smiths before. To Alice's knowledge, at least.

"She always listens to the king of depressing ass gay men when she's in a funk," Howie declared, waving his hands in a dismissive gesture. Shaking his head, he stared at her in an unrelenting gaze and said, "What's going on? Dana's hurting and it looks like you are too."

Alice stared right back at Howie, meeting his gaze unflinching and honest, making him want to wince at the sheer honest pain he saw reflected there. But he didn't, he held the gaze until she averted it to look at The Chart and the elaborate line Dana had drawn linking them. "I know," she said in a broken whisper. "I didn't want this to happen. I love Dana so much."

"Then why aren't you with her?" asked Howie, instantly sympathetic as he saw Alice was hurting just as much as his sister was but still feeling somewhat angry because she wasn't doing anything to fix it. The blonde didn't answer and continued to stare at The Chart. This made Howie move to sit next to her on the couch and reach out to hold her hands as he ducked his head, looking at her as he said, "Alice?"

"I've been chasing her for years," Alice began, her voice a devastating void of emotion. "Chasing after her to believe in herself, chasing after her to date and have a social life, chasing after her to come out, chasing after her to love me back. But I can't do it anymore." She looked at Howie and smiled wanly then said in a morose joke, "I'm old and I'm too tired to keep it up. I can't be with Dana and have this fucking disease of a thought taking over the back of my head that if anytime we have a problem she could run away and leave me again like this." Brown eyes immediately started to well up with tears and Alice released a distraught sob and rubbed at her eyes. "This hurts too much, Howie. I can't go through it again and again. I don't have that strength in me, no matter what Dana thinks."

"Dana doesn't think anything except how she misses you!" Howie exclaimed, fierce in his defense of his sister. "She's afraid of losing you, Alice. I've never seen her this scared and believe me, I've seen Dana scared plenty of times over the years. But this is different," he pleaded, trying desperately to make her understand. "It's like she's scared of trying to live her life without you. Just the idea she might lose you over this has fucking frozen things for her. Please, Alice," Howie was practically begging now, lightly tugging on her hands in an unconscious movement. "Come with me… come see her."

"I can't," said Alice. She pulled her hands back then hugged herself tight, keeping her eyes fixed on The Chart and the line Dana had drawn. Looking at it as if it held all the answers to the many secrets of the heart. That whatever Dana was feeling when she drawing the line would somehow reach her and let her know what to do to fix this. To make the pain stop and to help her save their love that Alice quickly felt slipping out of her grasp and beyond her reach. "This has to be her decision now. If she wants me I'll be waiting." Closing her eyes painfully shut, Alice's voice was strangled as she continued, "Tell her that for me, Howie."

There was more silence and she heard the sound of footsteps then Howie's soft and angry mutter, "Sure, I'll tell her you said that and not I love you."

Opening her eyes and wondering why exactly she was bothering since the one thing she wanted to see was nowhere close to her apartment, Alice gave a small pathetic smile and turned to gaze out the window. Looking into the far reaching landscape of the city as if searching for what she wanted to see the most.

"I was hoping she already knew that," Alice whispered sadly.

\---

Shane prided herself on being a good friend, trying to treat them in such a way that she would want to be treated herself, with earnest and loving patience. When she saw her friends hurting and in trouble, and if it didn't involve immediate physical danger, her policy was to sit back and try to figure out the problem before approaching them. She never waited too long though, just long enough to have some idea of what was wrong as to be able to start the conversation that broached the problem in the right way.

Because if there was one thing Shane hated it was when people were careless with their words. Growing up in the homes of virtual strangers and never being sure how long she would be staying there, Shane had learned the power words could hold. That what she said would often determine the amount of time she had a roof over her head and as such, she came to the conclusion it was best not to speak until you had a precise idea of what reaction your words would receive. To be painfully honest, Shane's harped upon charm was nothing more than a product of her survival instincts in foster care. You make people like you then they tend to treat you better. There was an air of deception to it that Shane despised because that charm, it wasn't really her. It was this larger than life fabricated version of who she really was. Something that she had been hiding behind for years.

Only it couldn't hide her from Carmen because somehow, against the odds, she saw past the charming facade to the real Shane. Saw past, Shane couldn't help but chuckle at this. More like she shoved the facade disgustedly aside and demanded to see the real Shane. But it wasn't something that Shane was willing to go along with. All her life anytime she would try to do that, when she would take that chance and show someone who she really was, it always ended badly. Bringing her more sorrow than happiness.

And so she refused Carmen, pushing her away until the one person that Shane knew really understood her fear, as they had lived for most of their life in its hold, came to her and said it was worth the risk. That there was infinite more to gain than to lose and to not even try made her a coward that would never know real joy in her life.

While there was nothing Shane hated more than careless words, being called a coward ranked fairly high. That meant the advice and that fear inducing chance was taken and soon Shane found out that it was true. It was so fucking and spectacularly true that it was worth that risk, and she was happier than she had ever been in her life. Something she owed to Dana.

When she heard through the fast moving chain of lesbian gossip that got started due to Alice's drinking at The Palms that the athlete was faltering, that she was letting her fear rule her once again, Shane couldn't sit back and do nothing. Dana helped her overcome that fear enough to take a chance with Carmen who then personally squashed it like it was a cockroach under the heel of her retro green and blue Kangaroo sneakers.

All of this led up to this awkward moment on the doorstep to the Fairbanks family home and Shane McCutcheon meeting Irwin Fairbanks for the first time. Each of them utterly lost as to what to make of the other.

"Can I see Dana?" Shane finally asked, clearing her throat nervously and feeling like a timid teenager again. "I'm a friend of hers. My name is Shane McCutcheon."

Irwin blinked then he wore a face of recognition and he stepped aside, holding open the door for Shane to enter. "The hair stylist," he said knowingly. "I liked what you did with her hair for those photo shoots with Tennis Magazine. Don't know how but you managed to make my little girl look even prettier than she already is."

"Thanks," said Shane dimly, feeling a bit flummoxed by Irwin's friendly greeting and his clear parental pride about his daughter. "I'm glad you liked the cut."

"I'll take you to her room, that's where she's been hiding herself," said Irwin in explanation. He sighed heavily and kept his gaze fixed ahead as they climbed the grand staircase leading up to the upper level of the house. "I decided to work out of my office at home today hoping that she'd want some company but each time I go to see her she tries to act like nothing is wrong." Looking to Shane rather sadly, Irwin murmured, "I guess girls just can't talk to their fathers about certain things. Maybe you'll have more luck."

Since Dana had been closeted, and fearfully so, during almost the entire time that Shane had known her there had always been this lingering assumption that her family was at fault. That they were so harsh, so religious, so unrelenting, so Republican, that they could never accept and love Dana once they knew that she was a lesbian. And in less than a minute, with only a few absent words and a simple facial expression, that belief was shattered. Suddenly Shane was almost angry at Dana for giving into her fear again because when faced with the kindness of her father, Shane couldn't understand where that fear had even come from. 

They loved her, they actually loved her. Shane never had that, she never had a family until she met her friends. But maybe Dana's family being this kind, this caring, is what caused the fear. How terrible was it to know this kind of love and then have it taken away because of something you can't change or control about yourself? It would be an absolute rejection of you as a person by those you care for the most.

The anger vanished as fast as it first appeared and by the time they reached Dana's room Shane knew what she had to say. "Dana?" Irwin called out, raising his voice slightly because of the muffled sound of music coming from behind the door. When there was no response, he knocked on the door and said a little louder, "Dana? Your friend Shane is here."

No response came again but then the door slowly opened to reveal Dana, clad in a Subaru Gay Pride promotional t-shirt and fuzzy bunny print pajama bottoms, looking the portrait of what could only be called bizarrely adorable misery. She stared at them for what seemed an endless moment then said listlessly, "Shane." Moving aside in the exact way her father had done earlier, she held the door open for the other woman. "Come in."

"Sure," murmured Shane, eyeing the athlete worriedly and walking into the dimly lit room that was filled with melancholy music.

"I'm getting lunch for us at noon so think about what you want, okay sweetheart?" said Irwin gently, searching Dana's face frantically just as he had already done countless times before, hoping to find some sort of clue about how to help bring her out of this terrible emotional state she was in. "And let me know if either of you need anything, all right?"

"We will, Dad," said Dana, giving him a weak smile of reassurance that didn't try to do its job and even if it did try, would have failed completely in the process. 

Returning the smile, weak and failing as it was, Irwin reached out to lightly squeeze Dana's hand then turned to walk away. The tennis player watched him for several moments then she quietly shut her door and turned to see Shane standing by her small boom box, studying the case of the cd that was currently playing. Upon hearing the soft click of the door closing, Shane looked to her and formed a tiny half grin.

"Morrissey?" Shane rumbled playfully, lifting up a lone eyebrow in humorous speculation. "That's some depressing shit."

"It fits my mood," said Dana wearily, not looking at her friend as she sat down on her bed and leaned back into her pile of pillows. 

Watching the athlete with a studious gaze, Shane set the cd case down and walked over to her, perching on the edge of the bed by her. They sat like that for a good while, comfortable in their conversational silence, allowing the music to wash over them.

"Close your eyes. And think of someone you physically admire. And let me kiss you. Let me kiss you. But then you open your eyes. And you see someone that you physically despise. But my heart is open. My heart is open to you."

"You're here to tell me I'm being retarded aren't you?" asked Dana, a hint of a smile on her features as Shane turned to look at her. "Like I did to you."

"For me," corrected Shane, soft but somber. "What you did for me was probably the best present that I've ever gotten."

"You must have had some crappy birthdays and Christmases," remarked Dana dryly.

"Too many to remember," Shane replied, matching the dry humor and chuckling. "But that doesn't change the fact that what you did for me was the best present I've ever gotten. Well," Shane paused to smile shyly, almost hesitant in the joy it was displaying for her friend to see. "It helped me to get the best present, anyway."

"Which is?" prompted Dana expectantly, her curiosity subdued thanks to her mood.

"Knowing what it feels like to be in love and happy," said Shane simply, meeting Dana's eyes for a gaze steady and kind in its honest emotion. "You gave me that by telling me to take a chance with Carmen, by saying that it's worth the risk of being hurt to just give it a try. And you were right, Dane. You were more than right," Shane amended, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "It was worth everything to feel this way. My life even."

Reaching out to hold Shane's hand, threading their fingers together, Dana said, softly and sincerely, "I'm glad, Shane. You deserve it, you know? You do so much for all of us, trying to make sure that we're all happy." Dana smiled on seeing the hair stylist redden at this and duck her head. Chuckling quietly, she continued in teasing tones, "And it was nice to be able to shake up the all knowing Yoda and help her out for once."

"You're trying to distract me," Shane accused, trying valiantly to fight against the blush forming on her pale features and losing the battle.

"A little," admitted Dana fondly. She leaned back into her pillows and looked at Shane with lidded eyes. "But you're going to say what you want to anyway, right?" Dana sighed and sunk into her mattress, closing her eyes in a gesture of acceptance. "So let me have it."

"Dane," rumbled Shane, releasing a quiet sigh. "I don't want to let you have it… I just want to know why you're doing this. You helped me see why it's worth the risk to really love somebody and let them love you. I just want to know why you're doing this to you and Alice. I don't get it," she muttered, her voice reflecting a clear frustration. "It doesn't make sense."

"Alice always goes back to her," Dana said, looking away from Shane and pulling the edge of her bedspread into her lap to fold then unfold it mechanically. "How many times have we seen it happen, Shane? No matter what she says to us about how she won't do it, she won't go back to Gabby this time, she does it anyway. And even if the person she's with tries to stop it from happening, it never works. Gabby wins in the end." Biting down hard on her bottom lip, Dana said in horrible resignation, "I'm just making it easier this time, that's all."

"No, you're just giving up, that's all," replied Shane angrily and the tennis player jerked her head up in surprise. Though they had been friends for years Dana couldn't ever recall seeing the hair stylist truly upset with someone. She was such a calming and mellow influence, like the sane port in the emotional storm and frankly it was a little off putting to hear her angry for once. Scowling deeply, Shane rose to her feet and shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans. Looking at Dana with dark and glittering eyes, she said, "I thought you really loved her, you know? What you said to me that day, how I saw you act with her, it made me stop and think that maybe I had to take that chance myself because you did and you were happy. You were really in love. But maybe I was wrong, huh? Maybe it was a lie and you never loved Alice. I mean, look at your room," Shane snorted disdainfully and pulled her hands out to wave at a nearby shelf filled with stuffed animals. "Maybe this is who you really are. Maybe you spent so much time in the closet Alice was like your high school romance and you thought you loved her but really you didn't give a shit because you're willing to give up when it gets hard."

Staring at her friend in shock, Dana felt herself becoming just as angry and she hissed, "I love Alice. And don't you ever say otherwise."

"If you love her then why are you giving up on her?" demanded Shane, stepping up to the bed, challenging the athlete in both her words and body language. "Why are you doing this?"

"I told you why!" Dana shouted, her voice cracking and the stress of situation showing up in the pained lines on her face, looking at Shane with an anguished expression. "Gabby always wins. What if I do it, huh, Shane?" demanded Dana, rising to her feet and meeting the other woman eye to eye. "What if I go to Alice and what if I don't give up? What if I do all that, I lay it all out there, how much I love her, how much I need her, how much I really fucking feel I can't live without her and then she goes and chooses Gabby again?" Blinking back the tears angrily and clenching her hands into fists, Dana asked, "Where does that leave me? Right where I am now." Squeezing her eyes shut, the brunette ducked her head. "It's better this way."

Sighing heavily, Shane stared at her friend, lost in her misery and whatever anger she managed to work up blew away like leaves in the wind. Pulling the other woman to her, Shane wrapped her up in a hug, hating herself as she heard the sound of Dana's quiet sobs. "What if she doesn't choose her?" she murmured into the crown of wavy brown hair. "That's only what you're scared might happen, Dane. Not what you know will really go down. If you do this... if you leave things like this you're going to spend the rest of your life wondering about that. Wondering if you were right or wrong and if Alice would have chosen you if you had only had the courage to step up and ask her."

"What if she says no?" whispered Dana, her voice and body trembling.

"Then at least you asked her, at least you know for sure that's what she said and you can try to move on," Shane answered, pulling back from their embrace and smiling softly as she pushed a lock of hair from Dana's eyes. "You can't do that if you leave it like this, Dane. There's no way you'll ever be able to move on and if you can't do that, I don't think you can even go back to being just friends with Alice like you would want."

"You really think that?" asked Dana almost helplessly, rubbing at her nose with the back of her hand and peering up at Shane with watery eyes. 

Her smile remaining, Shane moved away slightly and reached for a nearby box of kleenex, handing one to Dana who took it with a look of appreciation. "I don't know, what do you think?" said Shane with overwhelming patience. "Do you think you could be friends with Alice if you were always wondering what could have been? Would she have chosen you?"

"I could do it," murmured Dana quiet and defeated, making Shane's heart sink until the athlete peered at her with a wry blue gaze and a tiny smile. "But it would really suck."

"Yeah," said Shane, laughing affectionately and forming an answering smile, her eyes crinkling up around the edges. "It really would."

Releasing a shaky breath and running her hand through her tangled brown hair, Dana looked at Shane and still wearing her half smile, she said, "I need to do this, don't I?"

"Yeah," replied Shane softly, nodding her head. "You do." Tilting her head in consideration, Shane smirked and poked her friendly lightly in the abdomen. "And you need to take a shower and change your clothes while you're at it."

"And get my hair cut?" Dana asked, lifting an eyebrow humorously.

"Nah," rumbled Shane, tucking a lock of wavy brown hair behind the tennis player's ear. "Your hair cut can wait for another day. You've got more important things to do."

"I never thought there would come a day when I heard Shane McCutcheon say there were things more important than hair," Dana said teasingly. She paused for a moment and her eyes reflected a solemn and heartfelt emotion as she gathered her friend up in another hug. "Thank you for this, Shane. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," murmured Shane in return, smiling as they pulled apart. Stepping backwards and making a playful wave at the door, she said, "Now get going! Take that shower and change those clothes and get your answer."

Dana nodded her head quickly and pulled open her door to go running down the hallway and into the bathroom. The sound of her footsteps gaining Irwin's attention and a few seconds after she shut the door to the bathroom he poked his head out of his office and locked eyes with Shane. For the second time that day they shared a silent moment, studying each other, but this time it was far from awkward. This time it was comfortable and wonderfully joyful as they realized that things might just turn out all right now. 

\---

Unlike most people in the free world, Alice considered herself lucky that she actually enjoyed her work. Though she really was loving her new position as a DJ at KCRW and having her own radio show she still loved her work at LA Magazine. It was true that she got a lot of flack and a good deal of teasing about her long standing best of lists for the magazine but she loved doing it all the same. Alice wasn't someone who had these great aspirations for writing award winning and so called hard hitting journalism articles. She much rather be the person who writes the columns and pieces that readers look forward to with each new edition.

And she was that person, she had been that person for years at LA Magazine. The fan mail she got in about her best of lists weren't over the top and gushing and coming in as huge tidal waves at a time but it was consistent. She would always get letters from people who enjoyed her work and would take the time to tell her so and that was enough for Alice.

Just knowing that someone out there in her reading audience liked what she was writing was enough for her to be happy in her work.

Since she was among the lucky few who liked her work, whenever Alice was feeling down about life in general she tended to bury herself in it. Which was what she was currently doing, chewing on her pen cap and staring at her iBook as she contemplated ideas for her best of article that featured local candy stores and other deliciously unhealthy eateries. 

Places she really wanted to go to right now because the other thing she liked to do when she was feeling down was to eat food just like this. Lucky for her she could use work as an excuse to do precisely that. Contemplating what she should eat first, a brick of homemade fudge or a chocolate chip cookie pie, Alice didn't hear the magazine's longtime secretary, Tracy, call out her name three separate times. But she did hear it the fourth time. Mostly because by then Tracy was standing right next to her and tapping her on the top of the head. 

"Hey," said Alice, looking up at the other woman. "What's up?"

"Someone with the last name of Fairbanks is here to see you," Tracy informed in her usual chirping and happy tones. "She's been waiting downstairs for a few minutes because--"

"Thanks, Tracy," Alice said quickly, rushing to her feet and out of the office to head downstairs, thinking there was only one person who could be down there waiting for her.

Unfortunately, she was proven wrong when she entered the downstairs lobby with a ding of the elevator doors opening and was met by the sight of Sharon Fairbanks waiting patiently by the circular desk used by Tracy to greet guests.

"Sharon?" said Alice in definite confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to see you," said Sharon, acting as if it was one of the most natural things in the world. She tilted her head and offered a warm smile. "Have lunch with me? There are some things I think we should discuss."

"Okay," Alice said dimly, unsure what to make of the situation. "Just let me get my purse." She gestured to the elevator and started to move towards it. "I left it upstairs."

"Nonsense, this will be my treat," Sharon insisted, walking over to Alice and hooking their arms together to lead the blonde out of the offices of LA Magazine and into the bright light of day. "I know a charming little French bistro down the street. Would you like to give it a try? I'm sure you would like their wild mushroom tarts."

"I love mushrooms," said Alice faintly, not quite over the slight feeling of shock caused by finding Sharon and not Dana waiting for her in the lobby.

"I know," said Sharon a little triumphantly, leading the walk down the street and towards the bistro which happened to be only a few buildings down from their offices. "Dana told me once of your fondness for them."

"Dana hates them," Alice said, smiling at the memory of one of the athlete's funnier rants against the food. "She calls them evil fungus and refuses to kiss me after I eat them."

"That doesn't surprise me," Sharon remarked, chuckling and opening the door to the bistro to step back against it, allowing Alice to enter the restaurant first. It was a simple gesture, innate in its ingrained manners, and it was something the blonde had seen Dana do a hundred times herself. "When she was a little girl there was this wretched animated program about tiny creatures who lived inside mushrooms and used the same word to describe nearly everything in their conversations." Sharon looked to Alice who wore a thoroughly amused expression and said matter factly, "She despised the show utterly. I even remember one incident where Dana shrieked on seeing it before changing the channel."

"You tell me Dana hates The Smurfs," said Alice in something close to awe, shaking her head at the strangeness that still completely fit the tennis player at the same time. Despite herself, she couldn’t help that small feeling of happiness she always got when she found out something new about the brunette. They had been friends for such a long time that often she thought she knew everything about Dana. So when she was proven wrong and was given a new tidbit of information, Alice found herself ridiculously happy as a result. Just because it was something new about the woman she loved. "And Howie tells me she loves Morrissey," Alice mused, chuckling softly. "I'm learning all of her entertainment predilections this week."

"You didn't know she listens to that wallowing balladeer?" asked Sharon, looking rather surprised. The greeter for the bistro arrived and she smiled warmly then said, "We'll take a table for two please." Nodding his head, the greeter led them through the myriad of tables and Sharon looked back to Alice. "I've suffered through endless hours of his singing when she was a teenager. I almost prefer Howie's rap music because it isn't laced with overdone misery."

"The guy is depressing," said Alice in agreement, sitting across from Sharon at the table and smiling nervously when the older woman fixed a serious gaze on her. "What is it?"

"When did Howie come to see you?" asked Sharon.

"Two days ago," said Alice, hoping that she wasn't getting the teenager into any trouble. On looking back at the encounter she was touched that he cared so much about his sister that he would take the time to try and fix their problems. "He came to see me with Gino."

Sharon released a soft murmuring noise then she sighed and flipped open the menu. Studying it carefully, she remarked, "I've always wanted for them to be close." Lifting her gaze, she smiled at Alice. "I did research on sibling rivalry and decided that they should be at least ten years apart to prevent the jealousies that often arise. My research backfired on me though," Sharon revealed with twinkling eyes. "While they did fight, it the was harmless practical joking kind, but they also became close enough that I couldn't ever punish one without gaining the wrath of the other." Turning her attention back to the menu, Sharon murmured, "It doesn't surprise me that Howie came to see you on Dana's behalf. I expect that of him."

"I was surprised," said Alice quietly and when Sharon lifted her head to look at her with wide eyes that appeared almost insulted at her words she knew she had to explain. "I was surprised to see both of you. My family doesn't do that type of thing. Hell," she gave a wry chuckle. "My family doesn't even see each other on their birthdays and major holidays. So there's no way they'd ever show up on your doorstep wanting to talk to Dana about my relationship with her. It's nice though," Alice said, focusing on the table and unfolding the napkin in front of her. "It's nice that you guys actually care."

There was silence and Sharon looked as if she wanted to reply but she stopped herself on noticing the arrival of their server. Their food and drink orders quickly placed, they were soon alone again and once they were, Sharon said, "Since you know that we care, I'm sure that you're aware of why I'm here."

"I can't go to her," said Alice in a bare whisper, averting her eyes and staring out the large windows of the restaurant and at the people walking by on the street. "If she wants to fix this she has to come to me, Sharon. I already told Howie the same thing."

"You're testing her," said Sharon, her voice brittle in the accusation it held, blue eyes flashing angrily at the writer. "I'm not sure why but I had thought better of you."

"I'm not testing her," Alice said wearily, looking exhausted with the situation and having to explain herself over and over. "I just can't keep doing this. It's like I told Howie, I can't keep chasing after Dana. I can't live my life with her if I have to keep making her do everything, it's like forcing myself on her and I won't do that." She met Sharon's eyes and pleaded for some understanding. "I have to know she needs me too. Enough that she won't do this again, that she won't leave me at the first sign of trouble." Swallowing the lump in her throat, Alice voice cracked as she said, "I love her too much. It would kill me to be with her and think she could leave again. There's no way I can keep going through this, Sharon."

She felt the caress of an elegant hand holding hers and then Sharon's voice, cultured and low, filled her ears. "When Dana was younger we had a tree in our backyard. A large oak tree that was quite large and she wanted to climb it but she was always afraid of falling." Alice lifted her eyes up and looked at Sharon who was staring off to one side, her face lined in quiet happiness as she became lost in the memories. "For a week, every day after school she would go into the backyard and stare at the tree. Until one day Dana finally worked up the courage to climb it and once she did, she climbed and climbed until she was at the very top." Sharon laughed fondly, recalling the sight of her daughter appearing amongst all of the leaves at the top of the tree looking much like the angel ornament they put on top of the Scotch Pine they got every Christmas. Turning her head and locking her gaze with Alice's, she smiled in reassurance, squeezing her hand gently. "It might take my daughter longer than most people to work up the courage to go after what she wants but once she does find that courage, there isn't anything in this world that can stop her."

Her head dropping in a desperate nod, fighting back the tears that were forming, Alice once again felt the calming touch of elegant hands. This time they were wiping away her tears with an expensive napkin and when she looked up at Sharon she saw nothing but understanding and genuine care in her eyes.

"My daughter loves you," Sharon murmured in tones that while were terribly kind were very clearly not up for debate. This was the truth as she saw it and anyone who tried to question it would most certainly get a piece of her mind. "She'll come back to you, Alice. I promise it."

Despite herself, Alice believed Sharon and for the first time in days she began to hope.

\---

Patience wasn't something that Gabby naturally possessed. She could make herself wait as the plans she made played out but she hardly enjoyed doing so. On the contrary, she would much rather go in and force the result she wanted to occur than sit back and wait for things to happen. But for the past two days she had forced herself to be patient.

There had been no contact with Alice on her part, she decided to wait for the air to clear. For time to pass and for the blonde to get over her initial anger at the situation before she went to her again. The only problem was that when Gabby went to Alice, she wasn't at home.

Which is why she was standing outside Alice's apartment door, leaning against the wall, arms folded over her chest and a bored look on her features when the elevator doors opened with a ding. Like all the times before, Gabby wasn't greeted by the sight of Alice but unlike all those times before she recognized the person stepping off of the elevator.

"The tennis player," said Gabby in supremely droll tones, lifting an eyebrow as Dana scowled and walked towards her. "You've decided to grace Alice with your presence, have you? I heard that you ran home to Mommy and Daddy."

"What are you doing here?" Dana demanded. 

"I'm waiting for the white rabbit," replied Gabby, smirking at the confused look on Dana's tanned features. Rolling her eyes, she scoffed with a chuckle, "You aren't the brightest bulb in the cheap hanging chandelier, are you?"

"Alice doesn't want to see you," said Dana darkly, taking a somewhat ominous step towards Gabby. The screenwriter would've felt an urge to step backwards if she wasn't already leaning against the wall with nowhere to go. "So just leave."

"Right," drawled Gabby, looking at Dana skeptically. "And how exactly would you know that when you haven't seen or talked to her since that day you went running?" Dana opened her mouth to reply but Gabby waved her off and continued, "Never underestimate the power of dykes gossiping. That's how I know you haven't gone near Alice." Releasing a noise of disdain, Gabby said, "Don't act high and mighty with me. We're both in the same pathetic dingy, tennis player. We don't know what Alice is thinking and that's the reason we're here. To find out." Tilting her head to one side, the screenwriter studied the other woman for a long moment. "Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you're too fucking scared to actually hear that." 

"What did you say?" asked Dana, narrowing her eyes and her voice raising an octave.

"You heard me," Gabby said simply. "All your life you've been too fucking scared to do anything. When in the hell should this be any different? I'm going to win this race because you're the type who doesn't even show up to fucking compete."

The athlete started to reply when the elevator doors opened with a ding and they heard someone say, "Dana? Did you lose your keys?" Moving in synchronization, Dana and Gabby turned to face Alice's neighbor, Patty, who looked at them rather blankly. "Hey," she gave her traditional greeting, frowning when she saw who was with Dana. She thought the bitchy brunette was long gone thanks to the athlete's influence. Though Patty wasn't the type to form instant opinions about things she could admit that she disliked some people on general principal. And after seeing the woman with Dana make Alice miserable several times with basic put downs, Patty disliked her based on just that. "You want me to call Alice for you?"

"No, I've got it," said Dana, shooting Patty a reassuring smile and pulling the keys out her pocket. The truth is, she had been hoping to get rid of Gabby before she went inside the apartment to wait for Alice. But now it looked like she didn't have a choice. Unlocking the door quickly, she scowled as Gabby pushed passed her go inside. Turning to Patty, she shot her another smile and said, "See you later."

"Yeah," said Patty quietly, watching the door close. "Later."

Shoving the keys back into her pocket, Dana walked into the living room and found Gabby perched in the large stuffed chair, her left leg tucked under her right, looking completely at home. Scowling on seeing this, Dana sat down on the couch and glared at the screenwriter. "Alice isn't something you can win," she growled the words out. "She's a person and not a cheap prize at a carnival."

"People can be prizes because a prize is nothing but something that somebody somewhere wants to have," Gabby responded knowingly, arching an eyebrow. "And I sure as hell want to have Alice so what's wrong with considering her a prize?" A smile quirking on her lips, Gabby chuckled. "I always did consider myself a Cracker Jacks girl."

"She's a person!" Dana shouted, her anger immediately getting the best of her as for just a moment she thought about the woman in front of her being with Alice again. Taking Alice away from her with smooth talk and charming smiles only to hurt her in the same way that she always did. "Stop talking about her like she's a thing."

"Would you rather we talk about you?" asked Gabby curiously, moving to untuck her left leg and pull it back so it was against her chest and she could rest her chin on its knee. "Why don't we talk about you and how you never fucking try? Why don't we talk about how I knew you were in love with Alice from the first time I saw you and how I also knew you wouldn't do anything about it because you're too fucking scared." Blue eyes were bright and glittering but cold and clinical in the intelligence they held as Gabby went on, "Why don't we talk about how you say you love Alice but you never do anything to prove it."

"Don't you say that to me," said Dana, approaching Gabby and staring her down. "What have you ever done to prove it? You hurt her over and over again, you throw away the second chances she gives you like they're garbage and you're going to tell me I don't do anything to prove I love Alice? How about the fact that I never hurt her like you? How about that?"

"Not hurting someone doesn't prove you love them, it just proves you're not an asshole," scoffed Gabby. "And yes, I'll readily admit I'm an asshole. But at least with me Alice knows where she stands. I always tell her how I feel. I tell her when she turns me on, when she doesn't, when I love her, and when I'm pissed at her. You?" Gabby snorted and looked at Dana with complete disdain. "You loved her for fucking years and kept it to yourself like a goddamn chicken. How does that prove your love? That proves you're selfish like me."

"Don't ever compare me to you," hissed Dana dangerously.

"Why not?" asked Gabby, rising to the challenge and to her feet, meeting Dana's hard stare and matching it with equal strength of emotion. "You are selfish. If I hurt Alice so much over the years and you love her so fucking more than me why the hell didn't you step up, huh? Why didn't you tell her you felt that way? Because you're a chicken, like I said. You were afraid of her turning you down so you just kept your mouth shut. Then what happened?" Gabby formed a slow smirk and drawled, "She came back to me. I went after her like you were too fucking afraid to do and she came back to me again and again while you sat on your angsty ass." Stepping up to Dana and locking their eyes, she said, "You don't deserve Alice because you don't do anything to keep her. Hell," Gabby snorted. "You haven't done anything to get her. She's the one who came after you, right? She told you she was in love and that's when you finally got your midget sized bout of courage and told her after how many years you loved her back. Wow! Aren't you brave?" Gabby mocked, rolling her eyes and waving her hands about. "I might be an asshole who treats Alice shitty but at least she always knows what I feel."

Though she loathed to admit it, Dana knew that Gabby was right about that. She had been inactive in that aspect of her relationship with Alice. Content to let the blonde lead and for her to always follow. But that was going to change as of this moment. From now on she wouldn't let Alice have doubts or ever wonder about how she felt, Dana would make sure that the writer knew with everything in her that she loved her. That she would always love her and she would always be there, for as long as Alice would have her.

"She's going to know how much I love her," said Dana strongly, her expression resolute and unwavering as she stared at Gabby. "I'll make sure of it."

For a response, Gabby looked at Dana with an utterly cynical expression, opening her mouth to reply but stopping as she heard the sound of the front door opening. Moving together, Dana and Gabby turned to see Alice who stopped in her the middle of removing her coat to stare at them with wide eyed surprise. She clearly had not been expecting to see either of them and certainly not them both together. 

"Alice," Dana and Gabby said her name in similarly eager tones, each wanting to get the jump on the other and as she watched them run to her side, she knew that this was it.

The decision had to be said.


	4. Chapter 4

All those times in the past when Alice had been so very interested in the soap opera aspect of other peoples lives were now coming back to bite her in the ass as she now found herself the subject of intense interest and gossip in the West Hollywood gay community because of the two women standing in front of her.

Because they both were in love with her, because they both wanted her, because they both were such incredible women. Alice knew people were jealous of her because of it and she couldn't blame them. Dana and Gabby were so incredible in an endless variety of ways that Alice couldn't grasp that they both could love her. Just the idea of it seemed so very unbelievable to her she couldn't even begin to contend with the mere notion of it.

Which was unfortunate because it was hardly a concept, they both were in love with her and Alice couldn't run away from that any longer. Not when she was actually confronted with it as Dana and Gabby stood before her, their eyes wide and their expressions wanting. But as fantastic as it was that they both loved her, Alice hardly considered herself lucky. Someone was going to end up hurt by the end of this and there was nothing she hated more than being a source of pain. Especially for these two women who meant so much to her. 

Over the years, in the various attempts to win Alice back, Gabby spoke about the connection they shared. She did it enough that it sounded like a cliche to the blonde even though it really wasn't. Because they did connect and interacted on this strangely instinctual level that Alice had never experienced before meeting her. The screenwriter had this way about her, this talent to simply look at Alice and be able to read her completely.

And there was nothing that could manage to shock the snarky brunette either, she was so open minded that it reached an almost fearless level. No matter what Alice told her, be it chance thoughts on suicide in college or her theory that the stuffed gay pride bear in her room came to life and stole her socks, it never threw Gabby. She accepted it with blase ease and made Alice feel that she was perfectly normal when they both knew she wasn't.

The problem was the fact that for a large portion of the time she just simply couldn't be bothered to listen to these things. Gabby's impatience would be painfully obvious and it never failed to reinforce the insecurities Alice had carried with her since childhood.

It was different with Dana though.

While she didn't have the ability to look at Alice and know exactly what she was feeling she was able to know when something was wrong. And unlike Gabby, she asked Alice about it. Not only asked but sometimes she demanded the blonde tell her what was wrong, refusing to leave the other woman alone until she knew what it was and how she could somehow help.

What's more, the insecurity that Alice experienced over Dana wasn't something caused by anything the athlete did herself but instead by the idea of losing her. She knew that Dana loved her, there was no doubt of that in her mind.

But when it came to Gabby she felt a tidal wave of uncertainty because she was so very guarded. Alice could never tell what was going on in Gabby's head. At times she would even wonder if the screenwriter particularly liked her. But then they would touch and oh how Alice could feel it. She could feel it in the passion of her kisses, the sound of her moans, and the eager arch of her body, how much she meant to Gabby.

At the same time, she could feel that with Dana too. But it wasn't only through their physical connection that Alice experienced that feeling of total love. She felt it in the small every day things. Like how Alice would mention she wanted to try a certain kind of food and Dana would surprise her with by sneaking it into her refrigerator or if she groaned on taking off her high heels Dana would pull down on the couch and start one other expert foot massages.

Those little things were what Alice was holding onto because they were all Dana could to give her right now. She and Gabby were much more alike in the sense that they both had distinct moments of utterly direct and to the point honesty. This left Alice with very few questions when it came to Gabby because when she spoke she spoke honestly. She would never hold anything back. And while it was definitely true that Gabby didn't speak often on her emotions but when she did you knew absolutely what they were.

There had been times in her relationship with Gabby where Alice had never felt more wanted in her entire life. She had this inexplicable way about her that captivated the writer completely. How her eyes would glint, how her voice would drawl, how her lips would tug up in a slow grin. They never failed to shake Alice to her core and leave her aching with desire. That's why Alice continued to go back to Gabby time and time again.

In a strange way, Alice thought she was almost addicted to Gabby because of the way she always returned to her despite the fact she knew she would be hurt by her again. She couldn't seem to help herself once she was near Gabby and drawn into her delicious web of charm.

Odd as it sounded, Alice saw her relationship with Gabby as being similar to the one a groupie has with her favorite band. Whenever Gabby was near on one else existed and she was so happy, so fucking deliriously happy to have the screenwriter there. And when Gabby would ask her out, no matter how wary she would appear outwardly on the inside she was releasing a noise of delight that Gabby was asking her out again.

It was sad and it was pathetic and it was something Alice wished she could change but she couldn't. It has been that way since the day they met and she suspected it would always be that way. That was simply the effect the brunette had on her as a person.

But if her relationship with Gabby was an addiction then her one with Dana was the cure.

Or perhaps, to be more politically correct and accurate it was rehab. Being with Dana taught Alice everything that romantic love should be. And with earnest determination and devotion, Dana worked until the formidable chains Gabby had around her heart were untangled and ready to be pushed off completely. That last step, the one to free Alice of Gabby forever wasn't something that Dana could do herself. Only Alice had that ability and that's what caused the athlete to tremble with fear. 

What if she worked long and hard for nothing? What if Alice didn't want to be free of Gabby? What if she wanted to wrap those chains around her heart like they were a blanket that warmed her and kept her safe instead of seeing them as something that would drag her down until she slowly but surely began to emotionally wither away from unbearable weight of wearing them? What if Alice decided she simply didn't want her? That she misread her emotions and really all she felt for Dana was friendship mixed in with sexual attraction? What if Dana became the friendly fuck so many accused Gabby of being?

Just the thought of that nearly killed her.

Something that Gabby didn't fail to notice and some odd part of her was jealous that Dana felt so fucking comfortable showing that. Mostly because she felt the same way but she couldn't allow herself to put those feelings on display in the same way that the athlete was currently doing. She found the very idea of it so goddamn repellant that there was no way she could actually do it. Especially with Dana there and the possibility of it getting out, her fucking sad Harlequin romance behavior here and have it being used against her somehow. Gabby knew it was paranoid to feel that way but she couldn't help it. Ever since she was a teenager she had masked her feelings behind a carefully constructed wall of bitchy asshole behavior.

Because doing that kept her safe, because it kept anyone from knowing the real Gabby Deveaux, and if no one knew the real her what the fuck did it matter what they thought about her? It wasn't her, after all. It was her Gabby fucking Deveaux persona that they hated, that they scorned, that they rejected.

But now it was gone.

She had let Alice chip away at her defenses until a fucking hole formed in that wall and the blonde could see the real Gabby Deveaux. And for the first time in her life she risked actual rejection. Not a rejection of the super bitch or the snarky asshole or the seductress supreme or any of the other things that were examples of the glorious facade that was Gabby fucking Deveaux but instead a rejection of simply Gabby.

And goddammit she didn't like it, she didn't like taking this chance only to have it possibly bite her in the ass. What the fuck was the point of even letting that hole be created and letting Alice see who she really was? See how an asshole annoying fear was slowly eating her alive right now when it wouldn't help get her what she wanted?

The whole thing would be a fucking waste, that's what Gabby thought. A pointless expenditure of effort and for the first time in her life she would actually be heartbroken and that was the last fucking thing in the world she wanted to go through.

Wallowing dykes were what Gabby hated most in the world and there were quite a few things that she hated. But that meant the last thing she wanted to do was to turn into one but if Alice didn't choose her, if she finally let someone see the real her and it was all for nothing, well…

There wouldn't be any choice. She would have to fucking wallow. There was absolutely no question about it. Wallowing would be the only way to get her through that and she would have to give it a try despite how she would hate herself during the entire process. Although hating herself might make the wallowing more effective in some perverse way.

She was sick of this though. The waiting and the wondering and the asinine fear that was eating away at her like it was a pool of Alien acid blood leaking through the floor during Sigourney's hottest movie role and she just had to end it. This had to be over before she lost what little dignity she had left and that small piece of her precious Gabby fucking Deveaux image she worked so hard to create and perfect was still in tact.

That's why she tilted her head to one side as she folded her arms across her chest and then she lifted an eyebrow and drawled, "Who is it?" 

Alice blinked for a response, shocked by the blunt question although she knew she really shouldn't be considering that was part of the reason she remained enamored with Gabby was the fearlessness she thought of earlier. The desire to get the messy painful things out there and dealt with so you could just fucking move on. And so her surprise went away in seconds and the screenwriter could see that along with the flicker of humorous affection floating in brown eyes that was aimed at her. Unfortunately for Dana, she noticed this as well. And when Alice looked at the two of them, this is what she saw…

Gabby, an easy smile on her face that expressed exactly what she wanted, a dark shine in her eyes which called out to any who witnessed it, and a confidence in her stance.

Dana, an expression filled with fear and wearing a weak but sincere smile of support, love and worry in her eyes, and a constant shifting of her weight side to side in a nervous dance.

The answer was out of her mouth before she even quite realized what she was saying. As if her heart taken control of her head and her vocal chords as a result and in tones filled with a certainty she hadn't known she possessed, Alice said, "Dana. I love Dana. I want Dana."

Of course it was Dana. It had been Dana since the moment she realized she was in love with her. The only thing that the athlete had to do was to realize that for herself and to show up, to tell Alice that she wanted her too. And here was Dana, doing precisely that, so there was really no choice to be made in Alice's mind.

It was Dana. It had always been Dana. And for Alice, it always would be Dana until the day the tennis player decided she no longer wanted her but right now, seeing the relief and the joy and the overwhelming love on the other woman's face Alice didn't think that would happen. She thought Dana would return her love for the rest of their lives and god, oh god, how unbelievably happy she was to finally see that.

While Dana was surprised and relieved, Gabby was anything but. She had known it was coming, she knew the second she saw that humorous affection shift into sympathetic concern and in that moment she knew it wasn't going to be her and she wanted it fucking over so she could get away from Alice and not see that goddamn love in her eyes and know it wasn't the kind of love she wanted from the blonde. It wasn't the love that Gabby ever thought she would experience much less long to have from another person. But she had and she did and as soon as she realized she wanted this, needed this, it was taken away before she had a chance to actually know what it really felt like. And that fucking pissed her off even though she knew it was her own dumbass fault it was happening.

She should have realized sooner, when she was dating Alice those other thirteen times and if she had she would be with the writer now. Gabby knew that without a doubt because while others thought differently, she knew Alice wasn't a flighty person when it came to relationships. Oh, she might like to pretend she was to hide the hurt when she was rejected and cheated on and lied to like she had experienced time and time again at the hands of Gabby and others but she wasn't. Alice was the type of person who fell in love and she stayed in love.

But now Alice was in love with Dana and she would stay in love with Dana and Gabby was left to fucking wallow and to drown in regrets, things that she hated with every fiber of her bitchy being. Though that definitely didn't mean she wasn't still pissed off, not only with herself but with the situation in general. And with a million irrational and annoyingly remorseful thoughts swimming through her head, Gabby muttered under her breath, "I should've fucking cried."

"Gabby?" Alice said her name in a soft and worried murmur. She moved towards the screenwriter but halted in her walk when Gabby held up her hand in the traditional Supremes 'Stop In The Name of Love' gesture that they had once declared to be the greatest of all the various choreographed Motown dance moves.

Aware that she was acting like an overdramatic dyke, Gabby shook her head and snorted derisively at herself then walked over to Alice, gently cupping her chin in her hand and lifting her head up so she could look directly into her eyes. "I was an asshole to you," she stated plainly. "And I want you to know I'm fucking sorry for it because I know that's the reason you're with her. Because she was never an asshole to you and I always was."

"Gabby," Alice whispered her name brokenly. "I'm sorry, I--"

"I was asshole and that's nothing for you to be sorry for," said Gabby dryly, lightly squeezing Alice's chin and shaking her head affectionately to and fro. Then she released her hold and pressed her hand flat against a pale cheek and leaned in close, almost resting their foreheads together as she said, "I'm pissed off but you probably made the right choice. I don't think in those fucking fairy tales I know you still secretly love and sometimes read when you can't sleep have the Princess running off with the asshole to live happily ever after in the end. Although," Gabby smirked slightly. "The Beast was sort of a dick, wasn't he?"

"Yeah," said Alice, laughing through her tears. "He was."

Letting her hand fall away, Gabby smiled at Alice one last time then turned to walk out of the apartment, pausing when she got to Dana's side. And leaning in once again, Gabby said low and humorous in the athlete's ear, "I would tell you not to hurt her but I fucking hate it when people steal each other's best lines." 

And then Gabby was gone, leaving the apartment and that precious part of Alice's life and her heart that she had managed to hold onto for so long with very little pomp and circumstance. Her exit strangely quiet and dignified for someone thought to be as self absorbed and over the top as the screenwriter was often considered by many.

Alice looked sadly after Gabby, staring at the closed door, and she fought the instinctive urge to go after the other woman and provide comfort. But she didn't because she knew that wasn't what Gabby wanted and she knew that it wasn't her place. She belonged here with Dana, with the woman that she had chosen, with the woman that she loved.

Besides that, with Dana was where she wanted to be for now and for always. And turning to face the athlete, Alice felt her heart clench upon seeing the expression of unadulterated joy and overwhelming relief that she wore on her tanned features.

"You said my name," Dana breathed, her body and voice trembling as she took a slow step forward to cup Alice's cheek with a shaking hand. Dipping her head down to gaze into brown eyes, she requested hoarsely, "Please say it again."

"Dana," said Alice in a whisper, blinking back the tears and moving in closer. She wrapped her arms around the athlete and pressed her lips against the elegant line of the tennis player's neck, leaving a kiss there before she said her tones playful but still thick with emotion, "Dana Fairbanks. Miss Dana Fairbanks." Smiling at the sudden burst of jubilant laughter that the other woman released, she peered up at the brunette and her eyes twinkled mischievously as she said in a bad British accent, "Fairbanks, Dana Fairbanks."

Hugging the blonde tightly, Dana laughed through her tears and kissed the top of Alice's head. "I love you so much, Al," she murmured in a husky confession. "Thank you for choosing me."

"It wasn’t a choice, not really," Alice said, her voice muffled as she buried her face in the crook of Dana's neck and breathed in her clean scent that she had missed so much in the past days. "I hurt when I'm not with you, Dana. I hurt so much and I just don't want to go through that again." Squeezing her eyes shut, the blonde's voice cracked as she confessed, "It was always you, Dana. And for as long as you want, it's going to be you for me."

"Alice," Dana said her name reverently. Reluctantly pulling back from their embrace to hold the blonde's face tenderly in her hands, she wiped away the tears on pale features. "I'm sorry I got scared and I'm sorry that I ran away. I won't do it again," she promised fervently, resting her forehead against Alice's and looking deeply into her eyes. "I swear it."

"Is it a pinky swear?" asked Alice teasingly, though her voice reflected the tears that just couldn't seem to stop falling.

Laughing happily, Dana nodded her head and captured Alice's lips for a kiss. "It's a definite pinky swear," she murmured, lacing the pinky fingers of their left hands and meeting their lips for kiss after kiss after kiss, each one more passionate and intense than the last.

They parted with soft moans and though Alice wanted nothing more than to keep kissing Dana she knew something else had to be said. Simply to get it heard and out of the way so she could erase the anxiety written on her heart and fully embrace Dana and her love.

"Because I can't go through this again," said Alice shakily. Her brown eyes wide and haunted with such depth of emotion Dana had to stop herself from crying out at the sight. "It hurts too much, just the thought of you leaving again, giving up on us, and I don't think I could take it." Alice confessed this in a tearful rush, unable to stop all of her fears from coming out now that they were finally being said. It was like an avalanche of pain had been released and Alice was powerless to stop its descent. "I need you too much for that to keep happening." Her face hot with embarrassment and a million other emotions, Alice hid in the crook of Dana's neck. "I need you so much that sometimes it scares me," she said in a bare whisper.

"Oh Al," Dana choked the words out with a tearful cry. In a tender but nevertheless frantic movement, she cupped Alice's face in her hands so their eyes could meet. Pushing aside a stray lock of blonde hair and caressing pale skin gently, she said in an ardent promise, "I'll never do this to us again. It hurts me too, god, it hurts so much not being with you. I was just scared but I promise you, no matter how scared I get I won't leave like that again." Wrapping Alice up in her arms, sighing as she felt the writer rise up on her tip toes to move further into her embrace, Dana stroked messy blonde hair. "I swear to you that I won't leave again, I won't give up on us. Not ever again. No matter what happens."

"Good," said Alice, her voice echoing with relief, speaking so quietly that the tennis player had to strain to hear her. Snuggling into Dana, she pressed her lips to the strong line of the brunette's jaw and sighed in contentment. "That's all I needed to know." Pulling back, she smiled softly and murmured, her voice low and laced with affection, "We can get through anything as long as we're together. No matter what the problems are, as long as we're together I think things will turn out okay." Clasping Dana's hands and placing them over her heart, her eyes shining clear and bright, Alice said earnestly, "I really think that, Dana."

"I think that too," said Dana, releasing a joyful cry at the sudden rush confidence and hope, god, incredible hope about their relationship and the future that they now had together. She held Alice's face gently in her hands before moving forward for a kiss that was fast and eager and soon led to another as she parted soft lips with her tongue, smiling into each kiss that became increasingly more passionate and fantastically frantic with every moment that passed. They parted with low groans and gasps for air and Dana's voice was rough with desire, "As long as we talk like we're doing now and we don't let our fears eat us up we'll be fine, Al. Because we'll have each other to help get rid of those fears and then we won't have to be scared anymore." Tenderly stroking Alice's cheek with the pads of her thumbs, Dana continued, "We won't ever have to be scared again." 

"Dana," Alice said her name with a choked sob, leaning into the athlete's touch and sighing at the delicate caress of her hands. Closing and then opening her eyes with obvious effort, Alice reached up anxiously to cover Dana's hands with her own and her eyes wide and almost desperate, she said in hurried tones, "Then promise that you'll tell me if I start to get crazy. If I cling to you too much and you start to feel like I'm suffocating you. Because I've done it before and I know myself, Dana," said Alice brokenly, her voice wavering and holding a noiseless sob as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I know I'll do it again and I don't want to. I never want to do that and I especially don't want to do that to you. I did to Gabby and she--"

"I'm not Gabby," Dana interrupted what Alice was saying with a dark intonation, her eyes narrowed and her features suddenly turning stormy.

Her eyes going wide in surprise at the athlete's tone of voice and her expression, Alice reeled back slightly and whispered, "I know that you aren't."

Seeing the reaction her words had, Dana's face immediately softened and looking angry with herself, she stared at her feet as she said, "I'm sorry, Al. I guess I'm still jealous of her." Releasing a scoffing noise, she muttered, "I probably always will be." Lifting her gaze, the athlete looked at Alice with an expression solemn but kind and heart tugging in its sincerity. "But I'm not Gabby and I never will be. Which is kind of why I'm here, I think," said Dana wryly, brushing aside a lock of blonde hair that fell into the blonde's eyes. She cupped Alice's cheek and murmured, "I'm not Gabby and whatever she did when you supposedly got clingy by her warped standards I will almost without a doubt not repeat, even without being told what asshole treatment she exposed you to that time around. But I do promise that I'll tell you if I feel suffocated or clung to like you're a human Monchichi and I'm a tree."

Bursting into laughter, the sound charmingly boisterous and relieved, Alice eyes sparkled with love and happiness. "Are you actually daring to compare your girlfriend to a Monchichi?" she asked in semi threatening tones, mock scowling at Dana. "I'm not sure I approve of being compared to a freakish 80's animated mutation of monkeys that like to put their thumbs in their mouths and wiggle their little feet."

"What's wrong with the Monchichi's?" asked Dana, pouting and looking aggrieved at the blonde's response. "I think they're cute."

"I told you what's wrong with them, they're freaks," said Alice, rolling her eyes. "And I," she continued as she pointed her finger at the tennis player. "Don't appreciate being compared to them. I have nothing in common with those little weirdos."

"But you are soft and cuddly and I also think you're really sweet," Dana said in deliciously low tones, hooking her thumbs into the belt loops of Alice's pants and pulling her slowly forward. Their bodies pressed wonderfully close together, Dana ducked her head down to whisper in the blonde's ear, "And I do love you, happy happy Monchichi."

"Quoting cartoon theme songs, aren't you romantic?" Alice chuckled fondly, meeting Dana's eyes as the athlete pulled back and their cheeks brushed in a deliberate motion.

Their faces only a breath apart, they were on the verge of kissing when Dana nodded her head and said solemnly, "Monchichi's are very romantic. Unlike SWAT Monkeys."

"Hey!" exclaimed Alice, pulling back slightly to wave her finger in Dana's face. "Don't you talk smack about SWAT Monkeys. They're like a million times better than the Monchichi's."

"At least Monchichi's exist," Dana pointed out, lifting an eyebrow in amusement. "Or can't you recall that your brilliant movie idea has yet to be written, much less made by Disney?"

"Ha!" Alice exclaimed in triumphant glee, bouncing on the heels of her feet and waving her finger in Dana's face again. "That's where you're wrong. SWAT Monkeys are real. Or can't you recall the newspaper article I read to you about them? Monchichi's are freakish imaginary cartoon creatures but SWAT Monkeys exist in the real world with you and I!"

"You're right," Dana groaned low in her throat, realizing that Alice was correct and the idiocy she found SWAT Monkeys very existence to be was indeed steeped in ridiculous reality.

"You bet I'm right," said Alice, grinning widely. Doing a little dance and clapping her hands together, she squeaked, "Yay me! I win! And I never win anything." Dropping back down to her normal height, she pointed her finger in Dana's face and declared, "Take that, Fairbanks! Now you know to never speak ill of the greatness that is SWAT Monkeys."

"Take that?" drawled Dana, tilting her head to one side and taking in Alice's sunny smile and playful exuberance with loving eyes and heart. She had missed seeing this so very much. Alice being her naturally sweet and silly and undeniably sexy because of all these things self. A smile spreading across her features in a sensual movement, Dana's eyes glowed with amusement and desire as she leaned forward and captured the finger pointed in her face into her mouth. Sucking on it slowly and expertly then moving further to take it all in and then pulling back until just the tip was being held by her lips. Grinning at the audible shudder of desire Alice released at this gesture and kissing the finger as she allowed it to finally leave her mouth completely, she murmured huskily, "Take what exactly?"

"Take me," Alice said the words before she could stop herself only to groan and squeeze her eyes shut when she heard Dana's instant swell of laughter. "I'm sorry, that was lame of me. Super lame of me, in fact," Alice muttered, rubbing her forehead and wondering how she could say something that nerdy during such a genuinely sexy moment.

Pulling Alice's hand away from her face, Dana tugged the blonde forward until their bodies were pressed together and they were barely a breath apart. "I like it when you're lame," she murmured, her voice husky and laced with affectionate familiarity and it was everything Alice ever hoped to hear from someone she was in love with when they spoke to her. Ducking her head down to meet their eyes in preparation for a kiss, Dana said earnestly, "I love you, Al." A mischievous grin quirked on her lips and she drawled, "Even if you are super lame."

"Yay me," said Alice again, though this time it was a sensual murmur instead of a happy squeak. And she thought it perfectly suited their current situation which she found to be just as sexy as the moment she had ruined earlier.

"Yay us," Dana chuckled in a guttural response, her voice laced with desire as she closed the scant space of their bodies to meet Alice's lips for a delightfully detailed kiss that left no part of their mouths unexplored.

With that kiss they both knew that all the talking was done for now. No more words were needed to be spoken, the kiss of their lips, the touch of their hands, the moans in their throats said everything that could possibly matter at this point. And there was nothing more important than this, the taste and the feel and the sound of each other. This real and tangible evidence that it was over, the terrible impasse that was the distance between them had finally been destroyed and now they had all they wanted, all they needed, to go on in this world.

One another.

In a stumbling backwards walk towards the bedroom, they continued to kiss deeply, smiling into each other, experiencing a glorious frantic need to show with every sound, look, and touch the depths of the love they felt.

"I've missed this," confessed Dana, her voice raw with need, pushing Alice against the wall of the hallway right in front of the blonde's bedroom. Her lips left a trail of hot and seeking kisses on the elegant curve of Alice's neck, sucking at her pulse point and rejoicing in the low groan that greeted her at this action. Blue eyes lifted up to lock with brown and the writer shivered at the open look of desire that Dana wore on her features. "I've missed touching you like this." Pressing into Alice, she ducked her head down to whisper in the other woman's ear as her right hand dropped down to unbutton the blonde's pants, lost in a haze of want, adoring the gasps released when she slipped her fingers inside Alice's pussy which was already wet, ready, and waiting for her. "I want to be the only one who can touch you like this, Al."

"You are," Alice gasped, arching up into Dana's touch as the athlete curved her thumb upwards to brush over her clit in a light tease. Her hands tangled into wavy brown hair and she pulled Dana away from her neck which she was continuing to nuzzle and suck. Holding the tennis player's face in her hands, feeling both disappointed and relieved when Dana stopped the slow exploration of her pussy, Alice held the brunette's chin in one hand while the other fell down to cover Dana's which remained at rest inside of her. "You are the only one," Alice said, her voice low and rough with passion. "I'm yours, Dana. Always."

Dana looked at Alice with an expression of total lust, love, and need then she kissed her long and deep, her left hand falling to wrap around the blonde's waist. With a strength that the writer didn't even know she had, Dana lifted her off the ground and Alice wrapped her legs around the athlete as she began a determined walk to the bedroom, continuing to kiss her ardently, refusing to let go of even the smallest physical connection they were sharing.

They fell forward and onto the bed, Dana releasing her hold on Alice but her fingers remaining buried inside of her as their kisses became more heated and frenzied. Dana slipping her tongue into Alice's mouth to capture the blonde's, delighting in the moans and the shivers and all of the signs that told her far better than words how much Alice needed her. The tennis player began to rock into the other woman, her fingers arching up inside of Alice's pussy before she thrust hard and deep as her thumb circled her aroused clit, playing with it.

"God, Dana," Alice gasped as their lips parted for need of air, her body instinctively moving up and into the athlete's every touch. Looking up into blue eyes that were stormy and clouded with fierce emotion, the writer pulled her down and their foreheads rested together. "I love you."

"Then show me," requested Dana, thrusting into Alice hard and knowing, loving the sudden cry of arousal that the blonde gave when she did so. "Show me how much you love me."

Seeing the flicker of vulnerability hidden behind the veil of lust, Alice nodded and slid her hand down to mimic Dana, her fingertips toying at the outside of her pussy before slipping inside for a firm thrust. The athlete groaned and her head fell forward, her forehead again resting against Alice's allowing them to see perfectly into each others eyes.

"Are you okay?" Alice whispered, her expression concerned and loving, unable to help fretting at the look on Dana's face that was somehow haunted in the happiness it revealed.

"I just missed you so much," said Dana shakily, moving her head so she wasn't staring into the blonde's eyes and burying her face in the crook of Alice's neck. "I didn't think I would be able to do this with you again. I thought I might lose you forever, Al."

"Dana," said Alice brokenly, looking like she wanted to say something more but she was stopped when Dana lifted her head to capture her mouth in a fierce kiss while her fingers resumed their steady thrusts. "Dana," she gasped when their lips separated, her body instinctively arching into the athlete's touch. "You won't ever lose me. I promise."

She felt more than heard the sob of incredible relief at this and wanting to take that feeling away, wanting Dana to feel nothing but joy at them being together again, Alice's fingers sprang to life and followed the hard thrusts that the tennis player was using on her. They moved in a frantic union, trying to get as close as possible despite the fact that they were both still fully clothed. Until Alice came with a short cry of ecstasy that was soon copied by Dana, and they were at rest, their limbs tangled together. Dana on top of Alice, face hidden in the crook of her neck, arms tucked underneath the blonde's back, sighing as the writer stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry," Dana mumbled into Alice's skin and the blonde felt the heat of the blush she knew was forming. "That wasn't very happy was it?" The athlete nuzzled further into Alice, breathing in the scent of her chocolate shampoo and sighing. Sounding angry at herself, she said again, "I'm sorry, Al. That probably wasn't what you were wanting for make up sex, was it?"

"Hey," said Alice in a tender murmur, cupping Dana's cheek and bringing the tennis player's head up so she could look into her eyes. Seeing the tiny lines of worry on the other woman's brow, she smiled sweetly and smoothed them out with a gentle touch of her thumb. "I'm with you and that's all it takes for me to be happy, Dane. Besides," she drawled in naughty tones, her eyes twinkling playfully. "Who says we're done? I plan on keeping you trapped in here for another few hours at the very least. Maybe until you pass out from exhaustion."

"You'll make me pass out?" exclaimed Dana, playfully offended. "Aren't you forgetting which one of us is the professional athlete and which one runs all incorrectly and like a girl? There's no way you could make me pass out first. I would win that contest, hands down."

"Is that so?" asked Alice, looking entirely amused.

"That's totally so," said Dana huffily, nodding her head and sitting back on her legs. The blonde followed suit and once she did, Dana removed her shirt with flourish, tossing it across the room and gesturing for Alice to do the same. "Come on," she drawled and the writer noticed she was getting the same determined look she had during any of her tennis matches. "Lets do this."

"Lets do this?" Alice echoed, laughing exuberantly and crawling towards Dana who flushed a dark red hue at her words. Holding the athlete's face in her hands, Alice leaned in and rubbed their noses as she murmured, "Don't be embarrassed. I love it when you're competitive and forceful, Dane. I think it's fucking sexy as hell."

"I'm glad," breathed Dana, her eyes alight with love and affection. Slipping her hands underneath Alice's shirt, she trailed them upwards in a delicate caress and pulled the shirt up and over the writer's head before tossing it aside. Ducking her head to begin a trail of downward kisses, the brunette pushed Alice back onto the bed and slid down her body, easily removing her shoes, socks, and pants with a tug and a pull. Straddling the blonde's waist, she grinned into the kiss Alice initiated as she sat up, and Dana soon deepened it to slowly suck on her girlfriend's tongue, unsnapping Alice's bra, pushing the silken material down and off her body as they continued to kiss. "I love you so much, Al."

"I love you too," said Alice, her voice thick with desire and a happiness Dana knew couldn't possibly be faked and it made her just as happy to know that. To know she could make Alice feel this way, that she could make her feel this much joy, this much excitement, and god, this much desire, groaning as the blonde took charge, pushing her back on the bed and making short work of her clothing, leaving her naked in seconds. The only piece of clothing was left was Alice's underwear and reaching down to hold Dana's hand, she pressed it against the smooth surface of her black panties and leaned down to say in a husky whisper into Dana's ear, "I think I need to get these off. What do you think?"

"I think we both need to get off," drawled Dana, smirking when Alice burst into delighted laughter and whapped her shoulder lightly, declaring her to be dirty. "I thought you were the dirty girl in our relationship," said Dana innocently, looking up into Alice's eyes as she helped push the panties off the blonde's body, tossing them aside when they had finally been removed and they were at last skin on skin and were deliciously pressed up against each other.

"I'm pretty sure we can both be dirty girls," Alice murmured, capturing Dana's lips a slow kiss, smiling into it. "There aren't any rules against it as far as I'm aware."

"Yay," chuckled Dana, groaning as Alice pushed her back onto the bed and traveled down to capture the nipple of her right breast in her lips, licking, kissing, and tugging on it only to switch to the left. Then her attention trailed downwards and Dana shivered and groaned at what she knew was coming when the blonde gently pushed her legs apart and lowered her head down for the first slow lick to her pussy. Sucking on her clit soft then hard and god, if Dana was right, spelling out her name on it with her tongue before it slipped deep inside of her pussy, exploring further than it ever had before. The athlete's hips bucked up and she moaned Alice's name, hands tangling in messy blonde hair and encouraging her on. No one had ever made her feel like this before and she felt herself crying because she had almost lost it. She had almost lost Alice because of her own fears and insecurities and if she had lost Alice, she was almost entirely sure she would have never felt like this again. That no one besides Alice could bring out this in her and she couldn't quite explain how relieved, how happy, how perfect she felt as that worry was now gone. Now that she knew Alice loved her and Alice wanted her in the same way she did. Forever and for always. Her hips lifted up off the bed and she released a keening moan as she came long and hard as the blonde sucked relentlessly on her clit and coming to a rest on the bed, she felt Alice travel up her body, hands loving and reassuring, wrapping her up in a tender embrace. Resting her face into the crown of messy blonde hair, Dana let her shivering body come to a rest then she murmured, "Al?"

Pulling back to look at Dana and wearing a small and worried frown on her features, Alice replied, "What is it, Dane?"

"Your turn," Dana drawled, a huge smile forming on her features and a playful sparkle appearing in blue eyes as she quickly switched their positions and kissed Alice long and hard, causing the blonde to moan into her mouth and tremble into her touch.

And several hours later, when they both fell victim to exhaustion, falling asleep curled in one another's arms in a glorious tangle of long limbs, it happened to them together. Which was a wonderfully appropriate and perfect ending to their reunion. 

\---

Writing had never been a bullshit form of cheap therapy for Gabby simply because she heard other writers say that so often that it felt like a fucking cliche and made her almost ashamed to call herself a writer. And that's why she never really felt the impulse to try it herself.

But then she had to fucking fall in love and to make it worse she had to fucking fall in love with a woman who wasn't in love with her and goddamn if that wasn't the biggest cliche of all time.

And suddenly trying to write as a bullshit form of cheap therapy didn't sound quite so fucking pathetic as it did before. Well, at least it wasn't as pathetic as falling in love with a woman who didn't love her. Thus Gabby found herself sitting in front of her iBook typing minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, until her friends who normally knew when the fuck to leave her the hell alone stopped by her apartment to check on her just because nothing had been seen or heard about Gabby for over two months and they were beginning to get a little bit worried. Or as close to the emotion of worry as they actually could get.

They didn't stay for long though, soon as they walked in and saw Gabby's hair which looked similar to a crazed rats nest and the fact she was wearing jogging pants and a t-shirt they came to the conclusion she was beyond their help. Especially once she started talking about how her writing had become her outlet and she was starting to get the asshole emotion of being in love with Alice out of her system through it.

Though she was mildly disappointed her friends wouldn't stay long enough to look over her screenplay, Gabby was more than happy to get back to work. She was almost finished with the first draft and once it was completed she had to make some very personal deliveries planned for handing out the finished product.

The least important of which was to her agent.

Exactly three weeks, four days, sixteen hours, twenty one minutes and forty seconds later Gabby knocked on the door to Lara's apartment to complete one of those deliveries. When the door opened she wasn't greeted by Lara or one of her overprotective friends but instead a wavy haired blonde who was handsome and somehow vaguely familiar to Gabby.

"Hey," the blonde said, smiling leaning on the door frame. "You here to see Lara?"

"Yeah," said Gabby, feeling somewhat uneasy and not entirely sure why. Maybe it was because within seconds of meeting this woman she knew that first she was clearly involved with Lara romantically and secondly she was most likely just as disgustingly sweet and nice as the redhead. Except for Alice, she always felt uncomfortable around people she could clearly peg as good. They tended to make her feel more like an asshole than usual and thus far she was starting to get that feeling around the blonde. "I need to give her something."

"She's in the bedroom tidying up, I'll go get her," said the blonde, heading that way only to pause in her walk and clap her hands together lightly. "My manners have completely left the building. I'm Robin and you are…?"

"Gabby," replied Gabby, wondering if she was going to see the dark look of anger or jealousy or any of the other myriad of emotions she caused in women. But Robin just grinned and turned to head down the hallway, calling out to Lara that her friend Gabby was here. Moments after she did this, the chef came walking down the hall a worried look on her features and Gabby smiled softly at her. "I'm not dead," she said dryly. "Nor attempting suicide. I'm sure my friends have been gossiping up a storm although," Gabby drawled and tilted her head to one side. "But I'm sure you haven't heard anything like that. You've never been one for lurking in the scene, even while we were dating, were you?"

"I've heard some. People talk at The Planet and I heard from Alice everything that happened," Lara began faintly and she hovered in front of Gabby for a few seconds looking like she wanted to wrap the other woman up in a hug but deciding against it due to the brunette's body language. "I'm so glad you're all right."

"I'm Gabby Deveaux, of course I'm all right," said Gabby in a humorous lilt. She locked gazes with Robin who wore the same calm and easy expression since the moment Gabby met her. Turning back to the redhead, she said, "Your friends must be happy about your new girl. She seems to be more your type than I was. Then again," Gabby snorted and shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. "I'm starting to wonder if I'm anybody's fucking type."

"Gabby," said Lara softly, reaching out to touch the brunette but her hand fell away as Gabby stepped back from her and instead thrust a neatly typed screenplay at her. Looking down at it, her eyes traced the title page and she found herself reading the title out loud. "A Grimm Tale: Lessons in Lesbian Love From A Reformed Bitch."

"I'm not really reformed. I'm still a huge fucking bitch," said Gabby sardonically, lifting an eyebrow in an expression of droll humor. "I just thought it made the title pop a little bit more. Plus it fits my fake sad ass persona in the screenplay, you know?"

"What is this?" asked Lara carefully, not sure what to make of the screenplay or the fact that Gabby was giving it to her.

"My therapy, pathetic as it is," Gabby replied, flicking her gaze over to Robin and watching as the blonde simply dipped her head in a tiny nod of acceptance then disappeared back into Lara's bedroom to give them privacy. In that moment, Gabby knew she didn’t need to spend anymore time worrying about the chef or the status of her love life. Lara had finally managed to find someone who loved and cared for her above all others. Which was really the only thing Gabby had ever wanted for the redhead. She was so fucking good and genuine and kind and everything wonderful in this world that it ripped apart that tiny ass human piece of her heart to know Lara got hurt as much as she did. "When Alice picked the jock, even though I knew it was coming, I finally got why women went as crazy as they did when I pulled all my shit on them. I decided to fucking write it down, you know? All the crap I did, what happened with us and then me and Alice with her tennis player, I wrote it down and somehow it fucking ended up being this disaster of a screenplay." Gabby released a noise of disdain and said, "My agent thinks this shit has legs but I'm doubting it. The fucking whole thing is self indulgent narcissistic romantic drivel. But I figured the least I could do is to give you and Alice copies of it because you're both the reason I wrote the damn thing. Not that I blame you for my crap writing."

Looking down at the screenplay and tracing the title gently, Lara lifted her head and smiled. "Thank you," she murmured, making another move to touch Gabby and this time the brunette didn't back away from the friendly gesture. Wrapping the screenwriter up in a hug, Lara stroked Gabby's back and whispered in her ear, "You're not a bitch."

Chuckling at this, Gabby pulled back and said with a smirk, "Yes I am and we both know it. Except I've become a slightly more understanding bitch less who is likely to trample women's hearts just because I know I have the fucking power to do it." She studied Lara for a moment then pushed a stray lock of hair behind the redhead's ear then cupping the other woman's cheek gently after doing this. "Why does your new girl look familiar to me?" drawled Gabby, lifting an eyebrow in speculation. "She doesn't look like she's in the scene much either but I swear to fucking god I've seen her before."

"Maybe you've seen her perform?" suggested Lara innocently. When a slow and entirely naughty smile formed on the brunette's features, the chef released a chastising noise and whapped Gabby on her shoulder lightly. "Stop thinking that! She's an acrobat."

"An acrobat?" asked Gabby, her eyes gleaming with interest.

"Yes, an acrobat," said Lara almost reluctantly, not at all sure she liked the look on the screenwriter's expressive features. 

"Have you used her swing or bars for--" Gabby began only to be cut off by Lara cursing at her and whapping at her more effectively, causing the screenwriter to chuckle deeply and jump away from the redhead, looking highly entertained as she did so. All of this noise caused Robin to exit the bedroom and observing them, she tilted her head at Gabby in a sign of nonverbal curiosity. "Don't look at me," the brunette said dryly, holding up her hands in a placating gesture. "Ask your woman about this. I'm the innocent party for once."

"Somehow I think that you haven't been innocent for a very long time," said Robin, her voice reflecting genuine good humor and her eyes twinkling.

"She's found me out," said Gabby sardonically, turning to Lara and smirking. "That means I've got to hit the skids." The chef started to protest but Gabby somehow managed to silence her without even trying, tipping up the bottom of the screenplay that the redhead held in her hands as she said, "I've got two more of these to deliver and I kind of want one of them over and done with, you know?" She chuckled wryly and remarked, "Dyke drama and all that shit. I'm sure that's what they'll be expecting and for some fucking strange reason I'm not really feeling up to even faking that kind of crap lately. I just want to get in and get out." Gabby paused and tilting her head to one side, she said in an absent observation, "That makes me sound like a goddamn gay boy, doesn't it? Wanting to get in and out like I'm trying to escape from a nice ass pounding encounter before the queen wants to get gay married."

"Gabby!" Lara exclaimed her name through a burst of laughter, shaking her head fondly and wrapping the screenwriter up in another hug. "I'm glad you came by," she murmured into her ear. "You'll visit me again? And maybe stay a little bit longer?"

"If you want the punishment," said Gabby dryly, chuckling when the chef whapped at her yet again. She was truly glad that she had decided to do this but at the same time, she didn't think that delivering the screenplay to Alice would go nearly so well. Especially considering where she was headed in order to do that but she really did believe that this whole stupid soap opera situation needed to be fucking done and over with. Flicking her gaze over to Robin, she lifted an eyebrow and drawled, "Nice to meet genuine circus folk this damned infernal modern day and age. Maybe you'll perform for me sometime?"

"Maybe," said Robin playfully, her eyes still twinkling and chuckling at the intrigued look that Lara formed on her features at their interaction. "I'll expect a tip though."

"Oh, I'm all about the special tips," Gabby said in a sensual intonation, walking with Lara to the door and waving her hand backwards in a casual goodbye to the couple.

Moving to stand behind Lara to watch as the brunette headed down the hallway towards the elevator, Robin wrapped her arms around the chef's waist and kissed the back of her head. "I like her," she commented softly. "She's funny but she seems kind of sad."

"Yeah," Lara sighed quietly, leaning into Robin's embrace. She tilted her head to look up at the other woman and smiled tenderly. "She's in love with someone who doesn't love her." When Robin winced at this, she chuckled and said wryly, "And I'm pretty sure that this is the first time that she's ever been in love too."

"That's horrible," said Robin sincerely, looking down the hallway that Gabby had disappeared down, reluctantly parting from Lara as the redhead closed the front door.

"Yeah," said Lara again, looking down at the screenplay Gabby had given her and suddenly wanting to read it right away. Then she lifted her gaze to look at Robin who flashed the same warm smile that never failed to melt her heart since the day that they first met. "Honey," she started rather hesitantly. "Would you mind if--"

"No, I wouldn't," Robin interrupted kindly, not seeing a reason why the redhead asked the question in the first place. Forming an easy grin, she kissed the chef lightly and murmured, "You read that and I'll try to finish book two of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes."

"Have you gotten to the strip where he's playing house with Susie?" asked Lara excitedly, following Robin into the living room where they always curled up on the couch together to do their mutual reading. "I love that one."

"Not yet," said Robin, chuckling fondly and pulling Lara down onto the couch with her as she met their lips for another kiss. "But I'll be sure to let you know when I do."

\---

The Planet didn't hold private parties except on very special occasions. And while some in the West Hollywood community might not consider the one year anniversary of the day that Alice Pieszecki and Dana Fairbanks became a couple to be a special occasion, the couple and their friends certainly did. Since one such friend was the owner and proprietor of The Planet that's where their anniversary party was currently being held.

It was a mixed bag of people at the party and the guests consisted of mutual friends, family, work acquaintances, and neighbors. People who seemingly had just one thing in common and that was a genuine affection for Alice and Dana separately, then as a couple. 

When the party started a little less than two hours ago, they wondered nervously how well everyone present would get along because it was truly such a diverse group of people but now that they were well into the party, Alice and Dana couldn't have been happier with how things were turning out. Although there was such a vast variety in people and personalities present, the guests were getting along famously with one another. If you didn't count the current discussion going on between Lenore and Sharon as to how exactly the former could ever compare Alice to Ernest Borgnine in looks.

"It was merely a statement as to how her skin looks when she deprives herself of some much needed sleep," said Lenore, tossing her hair over her shoulder and staring Sharon down with an utter lack of comprehension as to how her words might be construed as an insult. "Mothers should tell their children when they look at their worst because who else will?"

"Mothers should stomp upon their child's ego?" replied Sharon in droll tones, her eyes flashing. "I think that I must have skipped that chapter while reading the parenting handbook."

"They make handbooks?" Lenore asked guilelessly, not at all understanding the somewhat insulting manner in which the remark was intended. Tapping her chin and looking thoughtful, she murmured, "I wish I had known that at the time… I did have such problems with Alice. She constantly called me while I was filming on location, it always stopped the filming."

Sharon looked exasperated and on the edge of snapping when Howie's voice sounded throughout The Planet as he stood triumphantly on stage with Ed and Rich. "Hello everyone!" he declared with a huge grin. "Yes, that's right. We've finally got the mighty karaoke machine operating. That means we're going to sing the song that Ed recently divulged to some of us was Alice's favorite make out and pre-sex song in high school."

"Oh god," Alice uttered, turning dark red and starting to head for the stage. "Don't you dare, Ed! I've got dirt on you and I can embarrass you just as good!" 

"I don't get embarrassed. Unlike you, I love all of my darkest secrets like they were my very own children," said Ed humorously. 

"Hold up, Baby P," said Nelson, easily grabbing the belt to his little sister's pants and halting her march towards the stage where the karaoke machine was hooked up. "I think I remember what this stupid song is but I want to be sure."

"I think Aunt Alice has really good taste in music though," said Stephanie with a frown, she was the eldest of Nelson's two teenage daughters.

"Not when she was in high school," said Jolene, deciding to enter the conversation. 

"You're saying that because I played Olivia Newton John's cover of Jolene on repeat just to torment you," said Alice, trying her best to pry Nelson's fingers off of her belt and not doing well at all. Although she was pleased to hear her brother chuckle on recalling how much Alice had played that song when they were growing up and the explosive reaction it always got from Jolene. After several moments of trying to get free, she looked over to Dana and wailed pathetically, "Dana, help me! You're strong and muscled! You should use that to help your belt captured girlfriend of officially one year to escape from her evil big brother's clutches!"

Lifting an eyebrow in amusement, Dana took a sip of her beer and said playfully, "But I want to know what the song is. You never told me and I think, as you are my belt captured girlfriend of officially one year, I should have been informed of such important things as your favorite make out and pre-sex song in high school."

"Dana," cried Alice plaintively, reaching out to the athlete with one hand while the other tried to pry Nelson's fingers off her belt. Scowling deeply as the music started, she looked up at him and snapped irritably, "Why do you have such fat fingers? If they were skinnier I would totally be free by now. You know that, right?"

"Who has fat fingers?" asked Nelson huffily.

Alice started to reply but was drowned out by the karaoke machine getting into the starting lyrics of the song which were belted out by a very capable Ed, "You keep coming to me! I can dig your dynamite." As he sang this, he posed on the stage, mimicking Alice's earlier reaching out to Dana. "Know the way you move. Get in the groove. You're driving me crazy."

"Second time you moved me," Howie took over with a grin and a wink at Gino who stood in front of the stage, looking up at his boyfriend with affection, clearly delighted with the chance to see another one of his impromptu musical performances. "It's time for us to boom boom. You can come right close to me and feel the burning fire."

"All the time you got me," sang Rich, pressing a hand to his heart and looking pained by the love he felt. He directed this gesture towards his girlfriend, Heather, who rolled her eyes in a sign of fondness for her boyfriend's typically goofy behavior. "It's fine for us to boom boom. If you see the spark in me and feel my strong desire."

"Boom boom boom," all three men sang together as they huddled in a group on the stage and extended their arms to a scowling Alice. "Boom boom boom. Let's go back to my room."

Everyone watched as Ed started to sing the next lyrics to the song but paused to stare at the entrance to The Planet which Kit had left unlocked so people could come and go as they pleased. With the only sound being the beat of the song as it was played by the karaoke machine, all of the guests simultaneously turned around to see what had stopped Ed in the middle of what was turning out to be a highly entertaining performance.

"If this isn't a fucking dramatic entrance then I don't know what the hell is," announced Gabby in droll tones, lifting an eyebrow in amused speculation for the myriad of guests staring her down.

"Gabby," said Alice her name in an anxious whisper, managing to finally pry Nelson's fingers away from her belt and quickly walking to the other woman once she did. When she reached the brunette, much like Lara she held back on the urge to hug Gabby simply because the body language the screenwriter was giving off implied it wouldn't be welcome. There was also the matter of Dana who was edging her way closer to the women and watching Gabby with eyes narrowed from dislike and distrust. "What are you doing here?"

"Why do you think?" asked Gabby sardonically. When Alice looked at her nervously, she chuckled and held the screenplay in her hands out for the blonde to take. "I'm here to deliver an extra special anniversary present." Tilting her head to one side, she nodded at Dana and drawled, "How is domestic bliss treating you little miss Wimbledon?"

"It's treating me fine," Dana replied evenly as she took her place at Alice's side and looked at the screenwriter with a stormy expression on her tanned features. 

"Just fine? Not perfect or wonderful or supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?" said Gabby, her tones both mocking and somehow innocent at the same time. Bringing her attention back to Alice, she remarked, "Your tennis player is a regular Donna Juana, isn't she? I can see why she was the auspicious recipient of your eternal love and devotion, Alice."

Having spent the last few moments flipping through the screenplay, Alice paid no attention to the conversation that Gabby and Dana were involved in. She looked at Gabby with wide brown eyes swimming with enough emotions that the screenwriter absently thought that if given the chance she would willingly drown in them. "You wrote about us?" Alice asked in a confused murmur. "You never write about personal experiences… you always called it cheap psychotherapy when writers do that."

"I call it a bullshit form of cheap therapy but whatever," said Gabby, shrugging her shoulders and trying to stop herself from caring so much that Alice remembered what she said about such things. That was just who Alice was. It didn't mean that she cared for her more than anyone else in this room. She wasn't fucking special to the blonde anymore, she was just like the other people… like a goddamn coworker or a friend or a passing acquaintance. The person that mattered, the one who was considered most important was standing at Alice's side, her arm now wrapped around the blonde's waist as she peered down at the screenplay. "I had to do something to get this bullshit out of my head so I figured I'd give it a try. But once I fucking started, I couldn't stop." Releasing a scoffing sound of disdain, Gabby shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans and continued, "I want to get over this shit. I want it over and done with and I think this is how I can do it. I just figured since I fucking wrote about all the endless myriad of crap we've gone through together you deserved to see it before I gave this junk to my agent who is under the warped impression it will sell well because it's a universal story that's from 'the heart' and everyone can relate to it," said Gabby, doing exaggerated finger quotations around the words the heart. "Whatever the fuck that is supposed to mean."

"Gabby," said Alice in a sob. Allowing Dana to take hold of the screenplay, she darted forward to pull the brunette into a tight hug. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I never wanted to. I just--"

"You just love McEnroe Junior," supplied Gabby dryly, closing her eyes and memorizing the moment in her mind even though she knew she fucking shouldn't since it was only going to end up torturing her later on. She breathed in the scent of Alice's chocolate shampoo one last time then pushed the blonde back and held her at a distance by putting her hands on Alice's shoulders. Dragging her eyes over to Dana who looked at her with a lidded gaze that held a reluctant understanding, she smirked and drawled, "Take good care of her."

"Always," said Dana, looking at Gabby with a hard expression.

Smirking still, Gabby looked over the crowd of people, most of which were shooting daggers her way, and chuckled softly. Lifting her hand up in a wave, she declared, "Sorry for crashing the party but at least I didn't throw any fucking drinks, right?"

Then she left, exiting through the same door she had entered, leaving behind guests both curious and perplexed as to why she made an appearance in the first place. Which is why they all gathered around Alice and Dana who were reading through the screenplay, absently flipping the pages and trying to discern the different characters and the plot.

"Check it out," Shane rumbled, pointing at the top of page five. "Al's name is Rachel and she's a writer for People in this."

"A lot of people like People, right T?" remarked Alice playfully, recalling their conversation from a year ago.

"Right," said Tina, rolling her eyes and recalling the discussion as well.

"Where's Dana?" asked Frank, frowning as he got a look at the screenplay. "I want to know if she's written it clearly enough where it's obvious who the character was based upon."

"It could be a case for slander depending on that and how she portrays Dana," added Tonya, knowing immediately why the agent was interested in finding out who was based on Dana.

"I haven't really figured out who Dana is yet," said Alice, frowning and flipping through the screenplay. Then she stopped abruptly and biting down on her lip, she tried to hold back a wave of giggles but failed miserably.

"What? Did you find her, baby girl?" Kit asked.

"Oh god," Alice gasped through her giggles, allowing the screenplay to be taken out of her hold by Dana who frowned as she looked down at the page the blonde had landed on.

Quickly reading through the page and her face darkening significantly, Dana scowled and muttered, "I hate Gabby fucking Deveaux. I really do."

"What did she write about you, sweetheart?" asked Irwin, trying to get a look at the screenplay. 

"Yeah, what did she write?" Howie chimed in, appearing at Dana's side suddenly. "It can't be that bad, big sis. Did she make you into a granola dyke or something?"

"I'm a professional ping pong player," Dana growled, whapping the screenplay as if by doing that she could get her occupation in it to be magically transformed into an actual sport.

There was silence for just a single moment and then, without any planning or real thought, all the gathered guests roared with laughter, leaving only Dana and Alice as the silent parties.

\---

2:17 a.m. was when Alice and Dana arrived back at the athlete's condo. When they came in, Alice placed Gabby's screenplay on the coffee table in the living room as Dana shrugged off her coat in the front hallway and hung it up. The script was looking worn and worse for wear thanks to the amount of time people spent looking at it during the party. 

"A ping pong player," groused Dana, walking into the living room just in time to see Alice flipping through the screenplay yet again. "Of all the fucking things she had to make me a ping pong player. And because of how dense she made me it's like I'm the lesbian Forrest Gump."

"Yeah?" asked Alice, her eyes twinkling and she rose to her feet, wrapping her arms around the athlete's neck. Leaning in close to murmur playfully in her ear, "Run, Dana, run." 

"Funny, Al," said Dana sardonically.

Chuckling softly, Alice held Dana close to her and winding her fingers in wavy brown hair, she massaged the other woman's scalp as she said quietly, "She doesn't mean any harm with it. I think that's all she has right now. Poking at you in her bullshit cheap form of therapy. Writing that screenplay probably made her feel a little bit better about all of this."

"Maybe," Dana allowed reluctantly, seeing Alice's logic but not at all liking the fact that she had been made into a professional ping pong player due to Gabby's irrational ire.

"Let her have her jokes. It's all she has right now," said Alice softly, pulling back and smiling tenderly. Sighing at Dana's gentle touch as she pushed back a lock of messy blonde hair, Alice murmured, "We both know what really counts."

"Yeah," said Dana in a loving whisper, her eyes crinkling around the edges as she formed a quiet smile, cupping the writer's face in her hands. "We do."

Returning the smile, Alice captured the brunette's lips for a slow kiss. It was a kiss that led to another and another, so many that they were laughing happily into each other from the sheer frantic amount. As if they could never possibly get enough of the taste of the other. Dana then took Alice's hand and started a fast paced jog up the stairs and towards her bedroom. 

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Dana pulled Alice into her, laughing happily and spinning them in a circle as if they were dancing to music unheard. Alice giggling and pressing into her and saying in a breathless declaration she was getting dizzy.

Placing Alice carefully down on her feet, Dana looked at the writer with glittering blue eyes and said in painfully earnest tones, "I love you, Al."

"I love you too," Alice replied, regaining her balance but holding onto that sense of dizziness just because that's how Dana made her feel when she could see so very clearly, as she could now, how much the athlete loved her. 

For a reply, Dana smiled again, bright and brilliant, then she pulled them into the bedroom. Stopping in front of the bed, she slid her hands underneath Alice's shirt, removing it as she said, "I fell in love with you the first time you took me to Milk."

"When I punched Nadia Meirtschin?" asked Alice curiously, watching as Dana fell to her knees and unbuckled her belt to then slide her shoes, socks, and pants off.

"Yeah," said Dana shyly, looking up through lidded eyes and blushing lightly. "I meant what I said that night. No one ever did anything like that for me before… especially not after they found out I was in the closet." Shrugging her shoulders and trying to fight her almost profound sense of embarrassment, Dana said, "I couldn't help falling for you, I think." 

Silence and then Dana felt Alice's hand gentle but firm, cupping her cheek and drawing her gaze upwards. When she looked up, she saw brown eyes filled with such utter love and devotion she thought she might cry at it. But she didn't, instead she smiled softly and sighed as Alice stroked her skin in a tender caress and murmured, "I loved you then. I just didn't know in what capacity but I did know that I wanted to take care of you so very badly… to make sure no one hurt you like she did that night." Scowling darkly as she recalled everything Nadia had said to the athlete, Alice muttered, "She was such a bitch."

"Yeah," said Dana with a quiet laugh, allowing Alice to draw her up to her full height. "She was a bitch and I don't think that has really changed over the years."

Alice released a thoughtful noise of agreement then she shook her head and declared suddenly and rather powerfully, "I don't want to talk about Nadia Meirtschin."

"Oh?" asked Dana, lifting an eyebrow in a playful tease. "Then what do you want?"

Forming a slow and delicious smile, Alice stepped closer and pushed her hands underneath the silken material of Dana's shirt as she drawled, "You naked and in bed with me."

"I think that can be arranged," said Dana in a throaty chuckle.

"Good," Alice said, her voice husky and thick with desire as she flung Dana's shirt aside. Cupping the athlete's face in her hands, she stroked tan skin and moving in for a kiss, she murmured, "I love you, Dana."

Moaning into the kiss, Dana wrapped her arms around Alice as she directed them towards the bed, their kiss never ending along the way. They continued kissing as they fell onto the bed with a noticeable bounce, Alice on her back and Dana straddling her waist, smiling and laughing and rejoicing in kiss after kiss, rocking into each other. When they separated, they swiftly went about removing what little clothing remained and quickly returned to their former pastime of kissing long and hard and deep enough neither could doubt the love the other had for them. It was there in every nip, tug, bite, and delicious moan. 

Pulling away from Alice's lips with an audible groan, Dana's eyes were dark and compelling, holding the blonde captive with the depths of emotion reflected there. "I want to taste you," she said hoarsely. Already sliding down the writer's body, leaving a trail of kisses and knowing caresses as she said, "I need to taste you."

"Dana," Alice said her name in a gasp, her body arching up when the tennis player wasted no time in pushing her legs apart and capturing her clit in a slow kiss and suck. 

Somehow she knew it would be like this always. That no matter how many years that passed, what problems they had, it would always be like this. Each time she made love to Dana, each time the athlete went down on her like she was doing now it would feel like the very first time and she would have to fucking control her hormones like she was a teenager because she wanted Dana so very much. Nothing could be better than this because nothing else was like this. No one made her feel the way Dana did, just loved and understood, my god Dana knew her inside and out and she loved her anyway, she wanted her anyway and that was what Alice thought made her come so fucking hard and fast more than anything else. That someone could know everything about her, all the good, all the bad, all the bullshit, and all the tiny things in between and could still want her… could still love her.

Jumping and shivering as Dana's tongue pushed its way inside of her, pulling out to suck on her clit and repeating the process until Alice was shaking and begging for release. She came with a jerk of her hips as the athlete returned to her clit and captured it in between her lips, sucking on it hard. Her body trembling, Alice sighed when Dana slid upwards and wrapped her arms around her to hold her tight.

"You killed me," Alice said in a teasing mumble, nuzzling into Dana's neck and smiling at the burst of delighted laughter her comment caused. "I'm dead. No more sex for Dana tonight."

"Not fair," said Dana, forming a halfway decent pout and kissing the top of Alice's messy blonde locks. "And here I was, building up my bravery to make a very special sex request and you go and die on me. Who am I supposed to make this request to now? Shane? Tina?"

"Carmen and Bette would stab you and you don't want them anyway," said Alice, voice still muffled as she burrowed further into the tennis player's arms.

"I don't, huh?" asked Dana playfully.

"No, you don't. I know you only want my semi-hot bod," said Alice, who lifted her head to peer curiously at Dana. "But what's the request?"

"I think your bod is way more than semi-hot," Dana said, frowning and pushing a lock of hair out of Alice's eyes. "You're way too hard on yourself. You should totally listen to my mom and not pay attention to a word your mom says when it comes to stuff like that."

"I know," said Alice with a sigh. She then frowned as she realized Dana hadn't answered the question and she said somewhat sternly, "The request, Dane." She then poked the athlete in the side and grinned when Dana squealed as she was ticklish in that area. "What is it?"

Blushing darkly, Dana ducked her head down and her breath hot on the blonde's skin, she murmured, "I want you to use the strap on."

"Really?" asked Alice, pulling back to look over Dana's tanned features carefully, cupping the athlete's cheek gently. "We don't have to… I got it for both of us and I don't want you to say you want to use it if you don't and--"

"I'm making this request, not you, Al," Dana said in wry tones, interrupting her girlfriend.

"Oh," Alice breathed, realizing that Dana was indeed right. She had made the request so obviously she wanted to use the strap on because why else would she say that? Nodding her head to herself, Alice looked to the brunette and said, "Okay."

"Okay?" repeated Dana, looking at Alice shyly.

"Totally okay," assured Alice, holding the tennis player's face in her hands and nuzzling their noses before she captured her lips in a sweet kiss. She started to slide off the bed and as she did this, Alice came to a sudden realization and frowning, she muttered, "Shit."

"Al?" asked Dana worriedly. "What is it?"

"It's at my place," said Alice, looking to Dana rather sheepishly. "Shit," she said again, shaking her head and sitting back on her legs. "I can go get it," Alice offered.

"No, it's not important," said Dana, shaking her head.

"But you wanted to use it," Alice said, frowning. It was so rare that Dana made any sort of request like this and she wanted to fulfill it not only because of that but also because it was their one year anniversary. "It's not a big deal, I mean, I can be there and back in a few minutes…"

"It's not important," said Dana again. When Alice started to protest this, she pressed her hand over the writer's mouth and grinned. "But it does bring up something important I wanted to talk with you about."

"Ybuhv?" Alice said, her response muffled by Dana's hand.

"Yeah," said Dana, her grin becoming bigger. "I was wondering if maybe you would want to put your stuff with my stuff… in a brand new location where all of it could, you know, live together."

"Hweioc uh?" Alice said, her voice still muffled by Dana's hand which had yet to lower and her eyes going comically wide. 

"Oh!" Dana exclaimed, dropping her hand immediately. Looking at Alice rather sheepishly, she said, "Sorry. I guess I kind of forgot I was doing that."

"You want us to live together?" asked Alice quietly, searching Dana's features for any hint of doubt, fear, or regret and finding nothing but the earnest loving support she had been given throughout the span of their romance. "Really?"

"Really," said Dana, dipping her head in a nod. Ducking her eyes, she said nervously, "If you want to. If you don't then--"

"I do," said Alice quickly, not allowing the athlete to dwell on that negative scenario for more than a second. Holding Dana's hands in her own and smiling brightly, she moved in closer to wrap the brunette up in a hug, murmuring in her ear, "I want to live with you."

"Good," said Dana, releasing a shuddering breath and holding Alice tight. When they separated, she caressed the blonde's cheek softly and said quiet but strong, "I want us to share everything, Al. I don't want there to be any distance, no matter how small between us and I want you to always know that I love you, no matter what. That I'll always be there."

"I know that," Alice said in a hushed whisper, her eyes tearing up and her hands covering Dana's. Then moving to hold the tennis player's face in her hands, she chuckled softly and rested their foreheads together. "I want you to know the same applies for you, all right? No more worries, no more doubts, none of that. You're the one I want, Dana."

"All right," Dana murmured, ducking her head in a nod of agreement and smiling as the blonde chuckled again and kissed her wavy brown locks as she pulled them down to the bed. Resting comfortably on her side and burrowed in Alice's arms, Dana peered up at the other woman, grinned and said, "Where should we start looking?"

And as Alice pulled the sheets up to lightly cover them, they began their long and winding conversation on real estate that ranged from the houses they liked to the areas that were gay friendly and the various ranges in the cost of living. All the time well aware of the fact that they sounded like a boring married couple and all the time not caring in the slightest.

No, strike that.

Loving that they sounded like that. Rejoicing that they sounded like that. Ecstatic that they sounded like that. Because this was their future and this was their love and this was their life.

Happily making plans together.

End


End file.
